There were more than 6,000 reported dog attacks on Postal Service employees in 2024, up from about 5,800 such incidents the year before, according to data released this week as part of the latest USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign.
For the first time, the annual campaign — which begins Sunday, June 1 — will last a full month. This year’s theme is “Secure Your Dog, Keep Deliveries on Track.”
“The best way to keep safe from dog attacks is to recognize and promote the responsibility of pet ownership, such as teaching your dog appropriate behavior and commands and not allowing your dog to roam freely. All dogs — regardless of breed, size or age — have the potential to bite,” said Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager.
“Dog bite attacks on postal employees are preventable. The most important message for our customers to remember during the 2025 USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign is keep your dog secured and away from the carrier as the mail is being delivered. Help ensure the safety of everyone in our communities,” she said.
Among major cities, Los Angeles led with 77 cases involving dog attacks on USPS employees, followed by Houston (65), Chicago (57), St. Louis (47) and Cincinnati (44).
Among states, California reported 701 attacks, followed by Texas (438), Ohio (350), Illinois (344) and New York (322).
During the campaign, the Postal Service will encourage customers to keep dogs inside their homes, behind a fence or on a leash. Customers will also be encouraged to use USPS Informed Delivery, a service that provides digital previews of incoming mail and packages, which can allow dog owners to anticipate when their mail carrier will arrive.
The organization will also remind employees to stay vigilant when they know dogs may be present.
USPS trains letters carriers to:
• Make a nonthreatening noise or rattle a fence to alert a dog if entering a yard;
• Never startle a dog;
• Keep their eyes on any dog;
• Never attempt to pet or feed a dog; and
• Place their foot against an outward swinging door to prevent a dog from escaping.
If a dog attacks, carriers are also trained to stand their ground and protect their body by placing something — such as a mail satchel — between them and the dog and to use dog repellent, if necessary.
“Customers may not consider their dog a danger to others, however, to a letter carrier like me, all dogs can be considered a threat when delivering the mail,” said Jonah Helfrich, who works in Blue Bell, PA. He was recently delivering mail when a dog barged through a door and bit him on the wrist, requiring him to seek medical treatment.
“I strongly encourage all dog owners to take precautions to make sure their dog is secure when mail is being delivered,” he said.
USPS offers tools to alert carriers to dogs on their routes.
A feature on handheld scanners can remind carriers of a possible dog hazard, and warning cards are used during mail sorting to alert carriers to addresses where a dog may interfere with delivery.
Carriers who feel unsafe can report the hazard to their manager, who will determine whether delivery will be curtailed.
