Houston ranks second nationally for dog attacks on USPS mail carriers

HOUSTON (KIAH) Man’s best friend can be a mailman’s worst nightmare.

The United States Postal Service’s 2024 National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign kicked off Sunday, drawing attention to a particularly serious national problem at the local level.

Houston ranks second in the nation for cities with the most dog attacks on USPS mail carriers.

There were 56 such attacks last year in the Bayou City, second only to Los Angeles with 65.

“This year’s theme is don’t let your dog bite the hand that serves you,” said Nikki Johnson, USPS strategic communications specialist. “We just want to make our customers aware that there are steps you can take to help reduce the number of animal encounters.”

Some of these things include making sure your dog is tied up.

The mailman visits your house around the same time every day, so during this time the USPS asks you to keep your dog on a leash, tie it up in your fenced yard, or keep it inside. your house.

If the mailman needs to hand deliver a package, USPS asks that you make sure your dog cannot walk through the door and toward the mailman when you open it.

And it’s not just the stings that have the Postal Service worried.

“If the carrier backs up or tries to put their bag between the animal, they could trip, fall and take a break,” Johnson said. “So there are other things that happen in dog encounters, but not a bite.”

Pet owners whose dogs attack mail carriers may be held responsible for their medical bills.

The USPS says the average cost per insurance claim for a dog bite is $64,555.