LOS ANGELES — The City of Angels has received the unflattering distinction of first place in national city rankings for dog attacks on letter carriers last year. Houston, TX, ranked second with 62 attacks and San Diego, CA, third with 47. Rounding out the top five were Chicago, IL, at fourth with 45 and Dallas, TX, fifth with 43.

The greater Los Angeles area remained the dog bite capital of the nation in 2014, with 416 postal employees attacked by dogs while on duty in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Also included in the top 30 dog attack city rankings were Long Beach, CA, ranked 14th with 27 attacks, Pasadena, CA, ranked 24th with 16 attacks and Whittier, CA, ranked 30th with 10 attacks.

Dog attacks are a national safety issue, not just a postal problem. While over 5,700 letter carriers were attacked last year, that number pales in comparison to the 4.5 million Americans bitten every year ― half of whom are children ― according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.) Between 12 and 20 people die every year from dog attacks according to the CDC.  

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) released its ranking of the top 30 cities for dog attacks on May 14 to kick off National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which runs May 16-22. This annual public outreach event provides information on responsible pet ownership, dog bite prevention tips and advice about medical treatment if attacked. The Postal Service, the medical community, veterinarians, animal care groups and the insurance industry work together during this drive to educate the public that dog bites are avoidable.

“‘Don’t worry — my dog won’t bite’ is often heard by our letter carriers before they’re attacked,” said Ken Snavely, postmaster of Los Angeles. “Given the right circumstances, any dog can bite.” The Postal Service places the safety of its employees as a top priority. Letter carriers fearing for their safety due to an unrestrained pet may stop delivery and ask homeowners to pick up their mail at the Post Office until the situation is remedied. In cases where a dog is roaming, delivery could be interrupted to the entire neighborhood.
“Many dogs are cherished members of the family and owners do not believe their dog will bite,” said Snavely. “But dogs do not reason and think like their human owners and will react to their instinct to protect their territory.” Working with animal behavior experts, USPS has developed tips for practicing responsible pet ownership and how to avoid dog attacks:

Be a Responsible Dog Owner

• When letter carriers and others who are not familiar with your dog come to your home, keep your dog restrained.
• If you open your door to your letter carrier to sign for an item or receive a package, first put your dog in another room and close the door.
• Do not take mail directly from your letter carrier in front of your dog. In protecting their territory, dogs may interpret people’s normal actions as a threat.
• Obedience training can teach a dog to behave properly and help owners control their dogs.
• Spay or neuter your dog. Neutered dogs are less likely to roam.
• Dogs that receive little attention or handling, or are left tied up for long periods of time, frequently turn into biters.
• Make sure your children know the responsible pet owner rules and keep doors and gates closed and the family pet secured.

Avoiding Attacks

• Never leave a baby or small child alone with a dog.
• Don’t run past a dog. The dog’s natural instinct is to chase and catch you.
• Never approach a strange dog, especially one that’s tethered or confined.
• Don’t disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies.
• Anyone wanting to pet a dog should first obtain permission from the owner.
• Always let a dog see and sniff you before petting the animal.
• If a dog threatens you, don’t scream. Avoid eye contact. Try to remain motionless until the dog leaves, then back away slowly until the dog is out of sight.
• If you believe a dog is about to attack you, try to place something between yourself and the dog, such as a backpack or a bicycle.
• If you are knocked down by a dog, curl into a ball and protect your face with your hands.

2014 Dog Attack Rankings by City

(Note: A total of 5,767 postal employees were attacked by dogs in 2014. Eighty cities comprise the top 30 rankings as some cities reported the same number of attacks.)

The Postal Service; the American Humane Association (AHA) americanhumane.org; the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM), microsurg.org; the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), avma.org; the Insurance Information Institute (III), iii.org; State Farm Insurance, statefarm.com; and Prevent The Bite (PTB), preventthebite.org, are driving home the message that dog bites are a nationwide safety and health issue and that education can help prevent dog attacks to people of all ages.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.  

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