What:

The U.S. Postal Service will host an information event on Wednesday, June 7 as part of National Dog Bite Awareness Week public service campaign.

Customers and media are invited to attend to receive tips from safety specialists on how we can work together to keep our letter carriers and the public safe.

Who:

United States Postal Service Safety Specialist Giovanni Ortiz.

When:

Wednesday, June 7, 2023, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where:

Jamaica Main Post Office lobby
8840 164th St. Jamaica, NY 11432

Background:

More than 5,300 Postal Service employees were attacked by dogs while delivering the mail last year. Aggressive dog behavior is a common safety concern USPS employees face. To keep its workers safe, the organization is providing important information on how dog owners can be good stewards for safe mail delivery as part of its annual National Dog Bite Awareness Week public service campaign.

The campaign runs Sunday, June 4, through Saturday, June 10. This year’s theme is “Even good dogs have bad days.” Spread the news of the campaign with the hashtag #dogbiteawareness.

“When letter carriers deliver mail in our communities, dogs that are not secured or leashed can become a nemesis and unpredictable and attack,” said Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager. “Help us deliver your mail safely by keeping your dog secure and out of the way before your carrier arrives.”

Top 10 Dog Bite States:

State	2021	2022
CA	656	675
TX	368	404
NY	239	321
PA	281	313
OH	359	311
IL	226	245
FL	201	220
MI	244	206
MO	161	166
NC	126	146

Pet Owners Can Help Support Safe Mail Delivery

Mail carriers know all dogs can bite, even those perceived as nonaggressive. Dogs are generally protective of their turf and dog owners have an important responsibility to control them to ensure safe mail delivery.

Most people know the approximate time their letter carrier arrives every day. Securing your dog before the carrier approaches your property will minimize any potentially dangerous interactions.

When a letter carrier comes to your home, keep dogs:

• Inside the house or behind a fence;
• Away from the door or in another room; or
• On a leash.

Pet owners also should remind children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child.

Inform Yourself, See the Mail Before It Arrives

By using Informed Delivery, a free USPS service, customers can digitally preview incoming mail and packages from a computer, tablet or mobile device. More than 52 million customers have enrolled since it was launched in 2017. Sign up is at informeddelivery.usps.com. This service can help dog owners anticipate when their carrier will arrive.

“When our mail carriers are bitten, it is usually a ‘good dog’ that had not previously behaved in a menacing way,” said USPS Occupational Safety and Health Senior Director Linda DeCarlo. “In 2022, too many aggressive dogs impacted the lives of our employees while delivering the mail. Please help us reduce that number by being a responsible pet owner who secures their dog as we deliver the mail.”

Delivering For America

The Postal Service recently celebrated the two-year anniversary of the Delivering For America (DFA), 10-Year Plan. If your news outlet is interested in interviewing a postal official about the progress made since the implementation of the DFA, please contact Amy Gibbs at amy.n.gibbs@usps.gov.  Read the DFA plan here: Introduction: Delivering for America: Our ten-year plan - about.usps.com

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