Dog attacks on USPS employees down in 2019

Letter carriers from the Friendship Post Office show the places where they have been bitten by dogs while delivering mail May 13, 2004, in Washington, D.C. This week is dog bite prevention week, an effort to raise awareness for responsible pet ownership. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

by: Nexstar Media Wire

Posted: Jun 12, 2020 / 10:24 AM CDT

Updated: Jun 12, 2020 / 10:24 AM CDT

U.S. Postal Service employees were attacked by dogs less last year than in years past.

In 2019, there were 5,803 attacks, 200 fewer than the previous year and more than 400 fewer since 2017, according to the USPS.

“Even during these difficult times, it’s important for our customers to understand that letter carriers are still coming to homes daily and need to deliver mail safely,” said USPS Safety Awareness Program Manager Chris Johnson. “We are confident we can keep moving the trends of attacks downward, and ramping up overall awareness for everyone is the best way to do that.”

Houston was the city with the most attacks with 85. Los Angeles was No. 2 with 74. Also in the top five were Chicago, Cleveland and Dallas.

USPS attributes the downward trend to awareness and technology, which includes the use of scanners and alerts.

Mail carriers use handheld scanners that can indicate the presence of a dog, and delivery service alerts can give homeowners advance time to secure dogs before carriers arrive.