CLEVELAND, OH — Can you picture a member of your family attacking a mail carrier? Of course not, but it happened over 5,800 times last year across the nation. Cleveland had 46 attacks in 2020 and ranked 5th in cities with most attacks. Here are four simple tips to prevent dog bite injuries year-round:

Door Delivery: If 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. Some dogs push through screen doors to attack visitors. Dog owners must keep the family pet secured. Never take mail directly from the mail carrier and please wait for the carrier to deliver your mail into the mailbox. If you ask for your mail to be handed to you in the presence of the family pet, the dog may see this as a threatening gesture.

Dog in the Yard: Make sure your dog is properly restrained on a leash and away from where your mail carrier delivers the mail. If the carrier deems a residence unsafe because of an unrestrained dog, mail delivery service can be interrupted. When service is interrupted at an address or in a neighborhood, all parties involved will have to pick up mail at their local Post Office. Service will be restored once assurance has been given that the animal will be confined during regular delivery hours.

Electronic Fencing: Carriers may assume, if they see no physical fence around a property, that the property is animal-free. This can be a dangerous mistake. Postal Service officials request that you keep your dog restrained or inside when the mail is delivered. Although the electronic fence may keep your dog from wandering, it does not protect your carrier, who must enter your property to deliver the mail.

Tracking: Dog owners who have access to postal notification features, such as Informed Delivery (informeddelivery.usps.com) for letter mail and package tracking, are urged to use these features to determine when the carrier is on their way and to ensure their dog has been properly restrained. Expecting a postal package delivery on Sunday? Postal officials urge dog owners to restrain their animals on Sundays as well, as more residences now receive deliveries throughout the weekend.

The Postal Service appreciates the public’s effort in ensuring the safety of our employees.

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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