Almost 6,000 postmen were attacked by dogs in 2023

US News

From Lauren Elkies Schram

They’ve had a tough year.

Last year, 5,800 mail carriers were attacked by dogs — about 500 more hair-raising incidents than in 2022, according to the latest rankings from the United States Postal Service.

“Mail carriers face potential dangers every day, and none are as dangerous as an encounter with dogs,” said Leeann Theriault, director of employee safety and health awareness at the USPS. “All it takes is one contact and a mail carrier can potentially get hurt.”

Among states, New York ranked sixth in the number of dog attacks on mail carriers, with 296 incidents, although the number has improved since 2022, when there were 321 cases.

As in 2022, California topped the list of states with the most dog bites. In 2023, the state recorded 727 dog bites on mail carriers, compared to 675 incidents in 2022, the USPS said.

New York City did not make the list of the 20 cities with the most dog bites. Los Angeles topped the list with 65 incidents.

The USPS released the national rankings ahead of its National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign, which begins Sunday.