It's Mailbox Improvement Week. What the USPS wants you to know
The third week of May is Mailbox Improvement Week, and the United States Postal Service is encouraging customers to give their mailbox some TLC.
The USPS reminded customers that mailboxes should be fully operational, able to protect mail from the weather, safe to use, conveniently located and neat in appearance while being large enough to handle anticipated mail volume.
"Neat, attractive mailboxes make a significant contribution to the appearance of the countryside and streets in suburban areas," the USPS said in the May 15 edition of the Postal Bulletin.
The USPS also pointed to the environmental benefits of keeping a well maintained mailbox.
"When mailboxes are appropriately constructed, installed, and in good physical condition, the Postal Service delivers the mail safely and efficiently," the Postal Service wrote. "Customers avoid a trip to the Post Office, which saves fuel and reduces carbon emissions."
The USPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The USPS suggests on its website that common mailbox maintenance includes:
Should a mailbox need to be replaced, the USPS recommends that customers consider:
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Opinion - The US Postal Service has an animal welfare problem
Many Americans have a frustrating relationship with the United States Postal Service. Lines are often long, mail gets lost and packages can be delayed. But the government institution's biggest blemish has nothing to do with late birthday cards. The current Postal Service standards for shipping live animals are dangerously inadequate and in desperate need of reform. In May, thousands of chicks were found abandoned in a Postal Service truck in Delaware. With the baby birds trapped without food or water in high temperatures for three days, thousands sadly perished, with less than half of the total 12,000 birds surviving. The U.S. Postal Service said it is investigating the 'process breakdown,' but the incident requires more than bureaucratic proceedings. This particular event is part of a larger pattern of animal mistreatment at the government agency. Earlier this year, Postal Service delays in Indiana left dozens of chicks dead. Thousands more were killed in New England following mail delivery disruptions in 2020. The country's flagship mail carrier transports millions of animals every year, but puzzlingly does not employ a single veterinarian to oversee its animal shipment operations and practices. With weak expert supervision, the shipments happen under conditions that most Americans would find unacceptable for domestic pets like dogs or cats. Animals ranging from birds to reptiles and bees to fish are shipped cross-country with limited standards that only mandate basic ventilation and box labeling. The conditions at airports are particularly heartbreaking. Animals transported through the Postal Service via plane can be left on the tarmac for extended periods before being loaded into the cargo hold. That leaves the living, breathing creatures exposed to extreme heat, bitter cold or other harsh weather conditions. When traveling on vacation through the Phoenix airport in July, would you leave your family dog baking in a crate on the hot runway? Absolutely not. Stronger federal rules are needed to ensure that animals shipped through the Postal Service are treated humanely. The status quo around animal welfare is abhorrent, but the government does not need to reinvent the wheel to rectify the situation. Other companies that transport live animals already have robust rules in place that can, and should, be duplicated at the U.S. Postal Service. For example, when being transported through the sky, animals should be last on and first off the plane. When not actively being loaded, species should be held in climate-controlled hangers, rather than left out in the elements. Flying routes should also be adjusted to cut down on transport time and to reflect weather forecasts that could become hazardous for the animals. When on the road, Postal Service regulations should limit the maximum transit time, create temperature standards and mandate special training for employees to learn best practices around facilitating the transport of live animals. After all, moving a container of baby chicks or insects should be approached differently than delivering an Amazon package. Most importantly, the agency should explore mechanisms that ensure workers adhere to these new protocols. That includes monitoring employees for compliance as well as holding those accountable who break the rules. The tragic episode that recently unfolded in Delaware should be a wake-up call for the United States Postal Service. President Trump should sign an executive order directing the postmaster general to swiftly craft and implement changes. It is well past time for the mail carrier to revamp its processes to reflect modern standards of animal welfare. Animal lives hang in the balance. Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., is the president and CEO of the American Humane Society. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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The US Postal Service has an animal welfare problem
Many Americans have a frustrating relationship with the United States Postal Service. Lines are often long, mail gets lost and packages can be delayed. But the government institution's biggest blemish has nothing to do with late birthday cards. The current USPS standards for shipping live animals are dangerously inadequate and in desperate need of reform. In May, thousands of chicks were found abandoned in a USPS truck in Delaware. With the baby birds trapped without food or water in high temperatures for three days, thousands sadly perished, with less than half of the total 12,000 birds surviving. USPS said it is investigating the 'process breakdown,' but the incident requires more than bureaucratic proceedings. This particular event is part of a larger pattern of animal mistreatment at the government agency. Earlier this year, USPS delays in Indiana left dozens of chicks dead. Thousands more were killed in New England following mail delivery disruptions in 2020. The country's flagship mail carrier transports millions of animals every year, but puzzlingly does not employ a single veterinarian to oversee its animal shipment operations and practices. With weak expert supervision, the shipments happen under conditions that most Americans would find unacceptable for domestic pets like dogs or cats. Animals ranging from birds to reptiles and bees to fish are shipped cross-country with limited standards that only mandate basic ventilation and box labeling. The conditions at airports are particularly heartbreaking. Animals transported through USPS via plane can be left on the tarmac for extended periods before being loaded into the cargo hold. That leaves the living, breathing creatures exposed to extreme heat, bitter cold or other harsh weather conditions. When traveling on vacation through the Phoenix airport in July, would you leave your family dog baking in a crate on the hot runway? Absolutely not. Stronger federal rules are needed to ensure that animals shipped through the postal service are treated humanely. The status quo around animal welfare is abhorrent, but the government does not need to reinvent the wheel to rectify the situation. Other companies that transport live animals already have robust rules in place that can, and should, be duplicated at USPS. For example, when being transported through the sky, animals should be last on and first off the plane. When not actively being loaded, species should be held in climate-controlled hangers, rather than left out in the elements. Flying routes should also be adjusted to cut down on transport time and to reflect weather forecasts that could become hazardous for the animals. When on the road, USPS regulations should limit the maximum transit time, create temperature standards and mandate special training for employees to learn best practices around facilitating the transport of live animals. After all, moving a container of baby chicks or insects should be approached differently than delivering an Amazon package. Most importantly, the agency should explore mechanisms that ensure workers adhere to these new protocols. That includes monitoring employees for compliance as well as holding those accountable who break the rules. The tragic episode that recently unfolded in Delaware should be a wake-up call for the United States Postal Service. President Trump should sign an executive order directing the Postmaster General to swiftly craft and implement changes. It is well past time for the mail carrier to revamp its processes to reflect modern standards of animal welfare. Animal lives hang in the balance. Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., is the president and CEO of the American Humane Society.
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Pet owners: Your pooch could cost you your mail
Related video: What does the U.S. Postal Service do with lost mail? (SOUTHERN COLORADO) — The U.S. Postal Service is reminding individuals to keep Fido away from the mail carrier, to keep both the mail carrier and USPS carriers safe. June is National Dog Bite Awareness Month. In 2024, more than 6,000 employees were attacked by dogs, with Pueblo and Colorado Springs having a total of 14 dog bites last year alone. Brenda Brown, a carrier technician at the Mountain Post office, spoke more about her experience as a carrier. Brown said she has five routes, and there are a 'lot of dogs' on each one. 'When you are out walking, you just have to be really aware of your surroundings because you never know when a dog is going to come out and approach you,' said Brown. 'So, you've got to be very cautious at all times.' The cost of a dog attack can be expensive for a dog owner, as they could be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs, and pain and suffering for the employee. In Brown's experience, she was once bitten by a large dog. She described it as the dog 'nipping' her. 'Luckily, it didn't do more damage,' Brown said. USPS urges individuals to secure their pets even if they have a fence. Brown said mail carriers are advised to shake fences if there is one to assure there is not a dog in the vicinity, and carry dog spray in case it is needed. 'Everybody's impulses are, 'I'm going to run,' but you can't because that's an instinct for the dog to come after you,' said Brown. 'Whether or not they want to play nice or not, you can't make that assumption; you've got to be protective of yourself at all times.' Animal Law Enforcement Lieutenant Kelly Napieralski advises throwing something away from you if a dog approaches you, as it can diminish the threat of a dog bite. As for treats, they could be useful for also throwing them to the side and distracting the dog, but Napieralski warns that it could also backfire. 'You run the risk of a dog who is food aggressive or just likes to resource guard, whether it's food or other items,' Napieralski said. 'Additionally, you could be looking into an animal who has allergies, you could cause harm, not realizing it, so I think the disadvantages outweigh the advantages when trying to use treats.' Napieralski also advises keeping the dogs extremely secure and even crate training. She added that if a dog bites someone or if the animal is at large, the 911 dispatcher will get in contact with animal control, who will then meet with the individual responsible for the pet, take a report, and begin an investigation. 'There may be a history at that address, and there may be some action that needs to be taken legally but additionally, rabies is a risk, we want to make sure that the animals are vaccinated and that the community stays safe but we also want to prevent this from happening in the future.' Besides being costly, a dog bite or an unsecured dog that makes a carrier feel unsafe could stop an individual's mail service until the carrier feels safe enough to restart delivery. More information can be found on under the Animal Law Enforcement tab. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
