The U.S. Postal Service is wrapping up its June 5-11 National Dog Bite Awareness Week campaign with informational pamphlets being sent to mailboxes. According to USPS, more than 5,400 postal employees were attacked by dogs in 2021, a decrease from the previous year thanks in part to the USPS campaign.
According to a June 2 USPS press release, Albuquerque ranks 21 out of 32 cities for dog attacks on mail carriers. Albuquerque is tied with Akron, Ohio, with 20 reported attacks for the 2021 calendar year. Cleveland, Ohio, is ranked No. 1 with 58 reported attacks for the year. California is ranked No. 1 for states with the greatest amount of dog attacks, with 787 reported attacks in 2020 and 656 in 2021.
Pet owners are encouraged to keep dogs inside the house or behind a fence when letter carriers are delivering mail, to keep dogs away from the door or in another room, or to keep dogs on a leash.
“Every year, thousands of postal employees are attacked by dogs as they deliver America’s mail. And while it’s a dog’s natural instinct to protect their family and home, we ask all customers to act responsibly by taking safety precautions with their dogs while the mail is being delivered,” said USPS Employee Safety and Health Awareness Manager Leeann Theriault. “When a carrier comes to the residence, keep the dog inside the house and away from the door – or behind a fence on a leash – to avoid an attack.”
