Chicago is one of the top 10 cities with the most dog attacks on postal workers

To highlight National Dog Bite Awareness Week and support responsible pet ownership, the USPS released a report which ranks U.S. cities on dog attacks.

Image by Donald Clark from Pixabay

(CHICAGO) It's not a top 10 list you want your city to be in. A new report released from the U.S. Postal Service ranked Chicago as 8th in the nation for the number of dog attacks against postal workers.

35 dog attacks against postal workers in Chicago

The city of Chicago experienced 35 attacks on postal workers in 2021. However, Cleveland, Ohio, led the way with 58 reported attacks.

The state of Illinois had 226 dog attacks against USPS employees in 2021, which is down from 289 the year before.

According to a statement from the USPS, in 2021, over 5,400 postal employees were attacked by dogs. Some were bites and nips, but some attacks caused serious injury to postal workers.

USPS Employee Safety and Health Awareness Manager Leeann Theriault explained in a press release, “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,” she said. "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.”

National Dog Bite Awareness Week

The USPS campaign runs this year from Sunday, June 5 through Saturday, June 11. The theme is “The USPS Delivers for America — Deliver for Us by Restraining Your Dog.”

National Dog Bite Awareness calls attention to the hazards postal workers face when delivering mail.

How to be a responsible pet owner

According to the news release, "Most people know the approximate time their letter carrier arrives every day. Securing your dog before the carrier approaches your property will minimize any dog-carrier interactions."

The USPS recommends that pet owners keep their dogs inside the house or behind a fence when the mail carrier arrives in their home. You can also keep your dogs leashed or in another room away from the door.

It's important to remember that even friendly dogs can have surprising reactions due to the circumstances. Dogs can be protective when they think their territory is being invaded.

Go here for more tips on dog bite prevention from the USPS.

*****

Have you tried the NewsBreak mobile app yet? (Full disclosure: I get a small commission if you click my referral links.) Download the NewsBreak App to get local news conveniently delivered to your phone.