Cities with the most reported attacks include Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, St. Louis and Cleveland. Image: Jason Finn/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffDog attacks on letter carriers increased by some 500 to 5,800 in 2023 over 2022 despite employee training and other preventive efforts, the USPS has said, urging the public to do more to prevent them.
“Letter carriers are exposed to potential hazards every day, none more prevalent than a canine encounter. All it takes is one interaction for a letter carrier to possibly suffer an injury,” the statement said. The insurance industry puts the average cost of a claim for a dog bite at more than $64,000, it said, and “the owner could be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs, and pain and suffering for the employee.”
“Letter carriers know all dogs can bite, even those perceived as nonaggressive. Dogs are generally protective of their turf and dog owners have an important responsibility to control them to ensure safe mail delivery. 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,” it said.
It said carriers are trained to observe an area where they know dogs may be present and trained to: make a non-threatening noise or rattle a fence to alert a dog if entering a yard; never startle a dog; keep their eyes on any dog; never assume a dog will not bite; never attempt to pet or feed a dog; and place their foot against an outward swinging door to prevent a dog from escaping.
Cities with the most reported attacks include Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, St. Louis and Cleveland. By state, the most are in California, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
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