Postal Service Releases Annual Dog Attack City Rankings

CENTRAL PA — The Postal Service announced that 6,549 employees were attacked by dogs last year as it released its annual top dog attack city rankings; 87 of those attacks occurred in Central PA. It also shared information on new safety initiatives it is putting in place to help protect its employees.

In promotion of National Dog Bite Prevention Week (Sun., May 15 – Sat., May 21) the Postal Service, joined by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Humane Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, Insurance Information Institute and State Farm Insurance are driving home the message that dog bites are a nationwide issue and that education can help prevent dog attacks to people of all ages.

Of the 4.5 million Americans bitten by dogs annually, half of all victims are children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Many attacks to children are by the family pet or a dog familiar to the child, so it’s important to keep children and dogs separate, especially if a dog is known to act aggressively.

Fifty-one cities make up the top 30 national rankings (see chart below). Central PA District postal employees were victims of 87 dog attacks in 2015, listed here by city (none in the top 30):

Enhancing Employee Safety

The Postal Service announced two new safety measures to alert USPS Carriers of dogs on their delivery routes. Customers using usps.com’s Package Pickup are now asked to indicate if there is a dog at their address when they schedule a package pickup.

In addition, the Mobile Delivery Devices letter carriers use to scan packages to confirm delivery will include a feature that allows carriers to indicate the presence of a dog at an individual address. This is especially helpful to substitutes who fill-in for letter carriers on their days off.

What Dog Owners Can Do

The Postal Service provided the following tips and suggestions for dog owners:

• If a letter 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. Dogs have been known to burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to get at strangers.

• Dog owners should keep the family dog secured. Parents should remind their children not to take mail directly from letter carriers in the presence of the family pet as the dog may view the letter carrier handing mail to a child as a threatening gesture.

• The Postal Service places the safety of its employees as a top priority. If a letter carrier feels threatened by a vicious dog or if a dog is running loose, the owner may be asked to pick up the mail at the Post Office until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If the dog is roaming the neighborhood, the pet owner’s neighbors may be asked to pick up their mail at the Post Office as well.

2015 Dog Attack Rankings by City

Note: A total of 6,549 postal employees were attacked by dogs in calendar 2015. Fifty-one cities comprise the top 30 rankings as some cities reported the same number of attacks.

The Central PA District provides service to ZIP Code areas beginning with 169 through 188; 195 and 196.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
 

SOURCE: USPS