St. Louis is one of the cities with the most dog attacks on postal workers

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis is one of the cities in the United States where dogs attack postal workers most frequently, ranking fourth after Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago.

The information comes from the USPS’s national dog bite awareness campaign, which is designed to help dog owners ensure the safety of postal workers who deliver letters.

According to the USPS, in 2023, 46 postal workers in St. Louis were attacked by dogs while delivering mail.

Across Missouri, there were 180 attacks in 2023 and 166 attacks in 2022, making the Show Me State among the top 10 states for dog attacks on postal workers in both years.

Illinois was also among the top 10 states during these years, with 316 dog attacks in 2023 and 245 in 2022.

Last year, there were more than 5,800 dog attacks on postal workers across the country, and these bites had high consequences.

According to the USPS, a dog bite costs an average of $64,555 per insurance claim. If a postal worker suffers an injury, the dog owner could be responsible for the employee’s medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs, and pain and suffering.

If postal workers feel unsafe, mail service may be suspended until the employee feels safe enough to resume delivery, in which case mail must be picked up at the local post office. If the dangerous dog problem is not resolved, owners may be required to rent a post office box to pick up mail.

Leeann Theriault, safety and health awareness officer for the USPS, said the postal service promotes responsible pet ownership.

“Mail carriers face potential dangers every day, and none is greater than an encounter with dogs,” Theriault said. “It only takes one encounter for a mail carrier to potentially get hurt.”

Dog owners can help keep mail carriers safe by securing their dogs each day before the mailman arrives, minimizing any potential danger.

If a mailman comes to your home, keep your dogs inside the house, behind a fence, away from the door, in another room, or on a leash.

Pet owners should not allow their children to accept mail directly from postmen, as the dog may perceive the postmen as a threat to the child.

The USPS trains mail carriers to be alert in areas where dogs may be present and instructs mail carriers never to frighten, feed, or pet dogs.