Dogs Bite More Postal Workers in L.A. More Than Any Other City, with California as No. 1 State
Dogs Bite More Postal Workers in L.A. More Than Any Other City, with California as No. 1 State originally appeared on L.A. Mag.
It's rough out there — or 'ruff,' some might say — for postal workers making deliveries in the City of Angels.But it's no laughing matter. This week starts National Dog Bite Awareness Week — yes, that's real — a campaign by the US Postal Service, which kicked off June 1, encourages #dogbiteawareness be used to show support.The USPS counted over 6,000 dog-related attacks on mail carriers reported in 2024 alone. 77 of these happened here in Los Angeles, and hundreds more in California crowned the state number-one in the rankings. The runner-up, Texas, hit 438, while Californian incidents reached a whopping 701.'I strongly encourage all dog owners to take precautions to make sure their dog is secure when mail is being delivered,' says Jonah Helfrich, a letter carrier and spokesperson for the USPS campaign. 'Customers may not consider their dog a danger to others, however, to a letter carrier like me, all dogs can be considered a threat when delivering the mail.'
Helfrich said he recently received medical attention after a dog barged out from inside the home he was delivering to and bit him on the wrist.The USPS affirms that their employees are trained to deliver mail safely, even in the presence of pets, listing out verified rules, such as: 'Never startle a dog,' 'Never assume a dog will not bite' and 'Never attempt to pet or feed a dog.'If a carrier feels unsafe, the USPS said, mail delivery can be suspended and patrons may be required to receive all mail from the post office until the situation can be resolved.'Dog bite attacks on postal employees are preventable,' says Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager. 'The most important message for our customers to remember during the 2025 USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign is keep your dog secured and away from the carrier as the mail is being delivered.'
This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
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