CHICAGO, IL — The number of U.S. Postal Service employees attacked by dogs nationwide fell to 5,803 in 2019 — more than 200 fewer than in 2018 and more than 400 fewer since 2017.  For Postal Service officials and mail carriers, one bite is one too many.    In Chicago, 54 carriers were attacked in 2019. 

The theme for the 2020 U.S. Postal Service National Dog Bite Awareness Week, June 14-20, is “Be Alert: Prevent the Bite.” The campaign addresses aggressive dog behaviors that pose serious threats to the more than 80,000 Postal Service employees delivering mail and how communities they serve can play an integral part in their safety.

“During this difficult time, our letter carriers are delivering mail and they need to do it safely,” said USPS Chicago District Safety Manager, Spring Rankin. “We can continue to move the number of dog attacks downward by increasing awareness.”

The Postal Service has new technology tools to help reduce dog attacks.  Technology supports carrier safety in two ways:  Mobile Delivery Devices, handheld scanners used by carriers to confirm customer delivery, now include a feature to indicate the presence of a dog at an individual address; and Informed Delivery, which alerts customers to mail and packages coming to their homes, allows customers to plan for the carrier’s arrival by securing dogs safely.

Letter carriers often have stories of bites, attacks and near misses to share such as the following instances from two Chicago carriers:

Tennile J.
Tennile was walking by a residence on a route she had never delivered before. The house she was walking by did not have any mail that day.  As she walked by, a dog lunged over the fence and bit her tugging on her coat and nearly pulled her over the fence.  She was able to pull free but fell injuring her shoulder.  A neighbor came over to help her and said the same dog had also bit him, walking by the fence.  Tennile was off work for a few months and still has therapy for her shoulder.

Mattie P.
On Mattie’s route, she had several packages to deliver to one customer.  As she reached the door she could see a dog and asked the customer to take the dog away from the door.  The customer told her, the dog won’t bother her.  He opened the door and the dog promptly bolted out and bit Mattie on her upper arm.  She received medical attention and was off work for a week.

The Postal Service offers the following safety tips for dog owners:

• When a carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door. Dogs have been known to burst through screen doors or plate glass windows to attack visitors.
• Parents should remind children and other family members not to take mail directly from carriers in the presence of the family pet. The dog may view the carrier handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture.
• If a carrier feels threatened by a dog, or if a dog is loose or unleashed, the owner may be asked to pick up mail at a Post Office location or other facility until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If the dog is roaming the neighborhood, the pet owner’s neighbors also may be asked to pick up their mail at the area’s Post Office location.

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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