Los Angeles ranks number 1 in dog bites to Postal Service employees
The U.S. Postal Service released its national dog bite numbers for 2023, and while dog bites to its employees are overall on the rise, Los Angeles racked up the most.
Attention on dog attacks comes about as the Postal Service rolls out its annual weeklong National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign, beginning June 2.
Incidents involving dog attacks on Postal Service employees reached 5,800 cases last year. "Don't let your dog bite the hand that serves you," is this year's awareness campaign's theme.
As mail carriers enter yards and approach doorsteps to homes daily, one of the biggest on-the-job hazards is an unfriendly canine encounter. They are trained to deal with dogs, never to assume that a dog won't bite.
Leeann Theriault, USPS Manager, Employee Safety and Health Awareness said dog owners can help keep mail delivery safe.
"The U.S. Postal Service consistently encourages responsible pet ownership. The national dog bite campaign is an effort to promote dog bite awareness to keep our customers, their dogs, and letter carriers safe while delivering the mail," Theriault said.
As most people know the general time of day their mail is delivered, advice is to keep dogs in the house, behind a fence, on a leash or in another room before carriers arrive.
Pet owners also should remind children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child.
Mail service can be stopped if a carrier doesn't feel safe. Until the carrier feels safe enough to restart delivery, the mail will have to be picked up at the Post Office.
Top 5 dog bite cities in 2023:
- Los Angeles, 65
- Houston, 56
- Chicago, 48
- St. Louis, 46
- Cleveland, 44