The U.S. Postal Service on Thursday released its national dog attack rankings, revealing Chicago as one of the cities with the most attacks on USPS postal workers.
Ahead of a National Dog Bite Awareness Week public service campaign, which runs June 5 to 11, the USPS disclosed more than 5,400 postal employees were attacked by dogs during the course of 2021. Chicago was eighth on the list for the highest number of dog attacks on USPS workers, with 35 attacks reported in 2021.
It's a major improvement for the city, which had the second most attacks in the nation a year earlier. In 2020, Chicago experienced 59 attacks, which was behind only Houston, which reported 73 attacks that year.
As part of National Dog Bite Awareness Week, the USPS reminded residents of information on the do’s and don’ts of responsible dog ownership, including:
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- Remind their children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat.
- When a letter carrier comes to the home, keep dogs:
- Inside the house or behind a fence
- Away from the door or in another room
- On a leash
As many people know the approximate time their letter carrier arrives, owners are asked to secure their dog before the carrier approaches.
“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,” USPS Employee Safety and Health Awareness Manager Leeann Theriault said in a news release. “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.”
The top cities with the most attacks, along with the number reported are listed below:
- Cleveland - 58
- Houston - 54
- Kansas City, Missouri - 48
- Los Angeles - 44
- Louisville - 42
- Dallas - 38
- St. Louis - 36
- Chicago - 35
- Detroit - 34
- Philadelphia - 32
- Columbus, Ohio and San Diego, California - 31 attacks each
- San Antonio - 30
- Denver - 29
- Phoenix - 28
- Toledo - 27
- Fort Worth - 26
- Cincinnati - 25
- Seattle - 24
- Minneapolis - 22
- Pittsburgh - 20
- Akron, Ohio and Albuquerque, New Mexico - 20
- Miami, Florida and Dayton, Ohio - 18
- Baltimore, Maryland and Memphis, Tennessee - 17
- Youngstown - 16
- Baton Rouge, Indianapolis, Flint and Flushing, New York - 15
