More than 5,300 U.S. Postal Service workers were bitten by dogs in the United States last year, the mail carrier announced Thursday in an effort to promote dog-bite prevention.
The USPS issued its annual dog bite ranking ahead of National Dog Bite Awareness Week, June 4-10.
Houston ranked worst in the nation for dog bites to letters carriers with 57 canine attacks.
That was nine more than second-place Los Angeles.
Dallas managed 44 bites. No. 4, Cleveland, recorded 43 bites in fiscal 2022, followed by 39 in San Diego and 36 in Chicago.
Next came St. Louis, 34; Kansas City, 33; Phoenix and San Antonio tied at 32 apiece.
“When our mail carriers are bitten, it is usually a ‘good dog’ that had not previously behaved in a menacing way,” USPS Occupational Safety and Health Senior Director Linda DeCarlo said in a news release.
According to the USPS, these are the top 10 states where postal workers were attacked by dogs in 2022, with the leader, California, recording a total of 675 incidents -- an increase of 19 attacks from 2021. In No. 2, Texas, there were 404 bites -- an increase of 36 attacks from 2021.
| State | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 656 | 675 |
| TX | 368 | 404 |
| NY | 239 | 321 |
| PA | 281 | 313 |
| OH | 359 | 311 |
| IL | 226 | 245 |
| FL | 201 | 220 |
| MI | 244 | 206 |
| MO | 161 | 166 |
| NC | 126 | 146 |
“When letter carriers deliver mail in our communities, dogs that are not secured or leashed can become a nemesis and unpredictable and attack,” Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager, said in the release
Some tips suggested by USPS include:
Most people know the approximate time their letter carrier arrives every day. Securing your dog before the carrier approaches your property will minimize any potentially dangerous interactions.
When a letter carrier comes to your home, keep dogs:
- Inside the house or behind a fence;
- Away from the door or in another room; or
- On a leash.
What do you think about the dog ownership in your part of the Houston area? Let us know in the comments.