States Where the Most Postal Workers Are Attacked by Dogs

Getty Images/Aaron Lam

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More than 5,400 mail carriers nationwide were injured by canines last year, with California leading the nation in bites, according to a new report.

More than 5,400 postal employees were attacked by dogs across the nation in 2021, with California leading the way as the state with the most canine-related injuries, according to the U.S. Postal Service. 

“From nips and bites to vicious attacks, aggressive dog behavior poses a serious threat to postal employees and the public,” the USPS said in a statement. 

Carriers have had more interaction with canines—thus more opportunities for attacks—since the beginning of the pandemic because of the higher volume of home deliveries, according to the USPS blog. 

Nevertheless, the total number of dog attacks was down from 2020—5,800 were reported that year, according a USPS press release.

In 2021, Cleveland had the most-reported dog bites (58), followed by Houston (54), Kansas City, Kansas (48), Los Angeles (44), Louisville (42), Dallas (48), St. Louis (36), Chicago (35), Detroit (34) and Philadelphia (32). (Not all cities and towns nationwide, though, report the number of USPS carriers bitten by dogs.)

Here are the top states for postal carrier dog bites last year:

State                  2020    2021

California          787     656

Texas                   410    368

Ohio                     369    359

Pennsylvania   296     281

Michigan           253     244

New York          294     239

Illinois               289    226

Florida              199    201

Washington      122   139

Kentucky          121  123

The top 25 states include dog attack reports from 32 cities. For information about how many postal workers were attacked by dogs in your city or town, click here.

Jean Dimeo is managing editor of Route Fifty.

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