June 7, 2023

Spokane Ranks Number 23 in the Top 25 Cities for Dog Attacks

Postal Service Dog Bite Awareness Week is June 4 - 10

Dog bite awareness

Spokane, WA — The dog bite numbers for calendar year 2022 are out and they’re not good for Spokane or the state.

Last year Spokane tied with Seattle for 23rd worst city in the country for dog bites/incidents involving mail carriers, with a total of 13 dog bites reported. Washington state ranked number 11 in the top 25 states with a total of 136 reported incidents.

There were more than 5,300 dog bites/incidents against postal employees nationwide last year.

Every year the Postal Service participates in National Dog Bite Awareness Weekto bring awareness to the potential issues faced by postal employees delivering their routes. This year’s campaign runs Sunday, June 4 through Saturday, June 10 and we’re sharing information and tips on how to be a responsible dog owner.

Pet Owners Can Help Stop Trouble Before it Starts

“We ask our letter carriers, as well as our valued customers, to be vigilant and remain on high alert with regards to the potential of unsafe dog interactions,” said Washington acting district manager Donald Kravos, “Dog owners are responsible for controlling their dogs. The best way to keep everyone safe from dog bites is to recognize and promote responsible pet ownership.”

Most people know when their mail carrier arrives every day. Many attacks could be avoided if dog owners would take a few extra moments of precaution. Securing your dog before the carrier approaches your property will minimize any dog-carrier interactions. When a letter carrier comes to your home, keep dogs:

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

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

No one wants to believe their beloved four-legged friend can bite. But that can be the hard reality. Even the friendliest dogs can bite, depending on the circumstance. Because dogs are primarily territorial in nature and protective of their owners and their owners’ property, defending its territory sometimes means attacking — and possibly biting — the mail carrier.

Staying Vigilant

Letter carriers are trained to observe an area where they know dogs may be present. They are taught to be alert for potentially dangerous conditions and to respect a dog’s territory.

Carriers also have tools to alert them to dogs on their routes. A dog alert feature on carriers’ handheld scanners can remind them of a possible dog hazard, and dog warning cards may be used during mail sorting to alert carriers to routes where a dog may interfere with delivery.

If a dog attacks, our employees are also trained to stand their ground and protect their body by placing something between them and the dog — such as a mail satchel — and to use dog repellent, if necessary.

Consequences of an Attack

When a dog attacks a letter carrier, the dog owner could be held liable for all medical expenses, repayment of lost work hours, replacement of the uniform and other costs, which can become quite expensive for the dog owner.

Lastly, when a carrier feels unsafe, mail service could be halted — not only for the dog owner, but for the entire neighborhood. When mail service is stopped, mail must be picked up at the Post Office. Service will not be restored until the aggressive dog is properly restrained.

This year’s theme is “Even Good Dogs have Bad Days.” Spread the news of the campaign by using the hashtag #dogbiteawareness.

Many attacks could be avoided if dog owners would take a few extra moments of precaution. Even one bite is too many when it comes to the safety of letter carriers, friends and family, and members of our communities.

Dog Attacks in Washington’s Five Largest Cities Since 2018

City

Dog Bites/Incidents

 

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Seattle

13

24

13

21

27

Spokane

13

7

6

5

7

Tacoma

10

14

10

8

12

Vancouver

2

2

1

2

0

Bellevue

1

2

0

3

3

Top 25 State Rankings

State

Number of Dog Bites/Incidents

Rank

California

675

1

Texas

404

2

New York

321

3

Pennsylvania

313

4

Ohio

311

5

Illinois

245

6

Florida

220

7

Michigan

206

8

Missouri

166

9

North Carolina

146

10

Washington

136

11

New Jersey

134

12

Indiana

115

13

Louisiana

106

14

Virginia

104

15

Wisconsin

100

16

Massachusetts

93

17

Minnesota

86

18

Tennessee

84

19
19

Iowa

84

Kentucky

79

20
20

Colorado

79

Arizona

78

21

Georgia

74

22

Oklahoma

72

23

South Carolina

68

24

Maryland

67

25
25

Connecticut

67

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