Dog attacks on US postal workers hit a seven-year high last year, according to the latest US Postal Service data. Some 6,088 attacks were recorded in 2024, up 5% over the previous year and 15% from 2022, reports NBC News.
- Midwest states led the nation, with Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Ohio posting the highest rates, after accounting for household numbers. The region saw about 5.24 attacks per 100,000 households, roughly 75% higher than the rate in the South.
- Cities in California and Ohio contributed heavily to the list of problem areas, combining for 15 of the 60 cities with 10 or more attacks.
- The annual tally is part of the Postal Service's annual "Dog Bite Awareness" campaign. Incidents covered include chases, bites, assaults, and, in some tragic cases, fatalities—such as a 61-year-old Florida mail carrier killed by a pack of dogs in 2022. Hector Hernandez, a dog trainer who works with the USPS, tells WILX that workers may continue to have issues even after their physical injuries have healed, including PTSD.
- With more than a third of American households owning dogs, the numbers suggest a persistent risk for the nation's 300,000-plus mail carriers.
- The cost is high when they do occur: Insurance claims for dog bites averaged nearly $70,000 each last year, per the Insurance Information Institute.
- The USPS has issued guidelines to help carriers reduce risk, including advice on interacting with dogs, use of repellant spray, and using mail satchels as barriers. Agency spokesperson David Coleman emphasized responsible pet ownership and urged people to teach their dogs appropriate behavior and to not let them roam freely. "All it takes is just one wrong interaction ... for our carriers to be injured," Coleman noted.
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