Dog Attacks on Postal Workers Are on the Rise, According to USPS. Last Year There Were More Than 6,000
There were over 6,000 dog attacks on postal workers in 2024, the USPS said, marking a 200-case increase from 2023
California and Los Angeles rank as the top state and city, respectively, with the highest number of incidents
The agency released the statistics as part of its National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign, which kicks off Sunday, June 1
For some letter carriers in California last year, dogs weren't exactly man's best friend.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced in a press release on Thursday, May 29, that the number of incidents involving dog attacks on the agency's employees rose to over 6,000 in 2024. That is up 200 more cases from 2023.
Of the top 10 states with the greatest number of dog bites towards postal workers in 2024, California was ranked first with 701. That was followed by Texas with 438, Ohio with 350, Illinois with 344, New York with 322, Pennsylvania with 316, Michigan with 231, Florida with 210, Missouri with 207 and North Carolina with 169.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles led the top American cities with the most dog bites at 77, according to the USPS. Coming in second was Houston with 65, and followed by Chicago with 57; St. Louis with 47; Cincinnati with 44; Dallas with 43; Kansas City and Cleveland tied with 40; San Diego with 35; Denver with 34; and San Antonio and Philadelphia tied with 32.
The latest statistics coincide with the Postal Service's National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign that will begin on Sunday, June 1, with the theme, 'Don't let your dog bite the hand that serves you.'
As part of the campaign, the agency is offering tips to dog owners on how to control their pets when a letter carrier approaches to deliver mail to their residence. The tips include keeping canines inside the home or behind a fence, away from the door or another room, and on a leash.
The USPS also recommends that children do not take the mail directly from the letter carrier since the dog may interpret the carrier as a threat to the child.
Canine attacks on postal employees can cost owners thousands of dollars, according to the agency, in terms of "medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs, and pain and suffering" for the worker.
The USPS also stated that their letter carriers are trained when it comes to observing dogs in an area and being aware of a potentially dangerous situation. Among the things they've learned include not startling a dog, keeping their eyes on the animal and not attempting to pet or feed it.
Mail service could also be stopped if the letter carrier feels unsafe around a dangerous dog on the route, added the USPS, which means the dog owner's mail would have to be picked up at their local post office. If the issue is not resolved, then the dog owner may have to rent a post office box to continue receiving mail.
'Dog bite attacks on postal employees are preventable,' Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager, said in the press release. "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. Help ensure the safety of everyone in our communities.'
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Last November, two letter carriers in the Dedham area of Massachusetts were attacked by canines in separate incidents as they were delivering the mail.
'Both Adam and Jeanette are back to work, and we commend their healing strengths, positive attitudes and commitments to their jobs,' Dedham Animal Control said in a statement at the time, as reported by Fox affiliate WFXT. 'Both of these incidents were preventable and neither was the fault of the Letter Carrier.'
In 2022, Pamela Jane Rock, a Florida postal worker, died after she was attacked by five dogs when her postal vehicle broke down while on the job. Authorities said that Rock, 61, was waiting for help with her vehicle when the dogs broke through a fence, escaped and mauled her, NBC News reported.
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