There were more than 5,200 dog attacks against postal workers last year, according to new figures released by the U.S. Postal Service on Thursday.
The top 10 worst cities for dog attacks against letter carriers in 2025 were:
- LOS ANGELES: 70
- DALLAS: 50
- DENVER: 45
- HOUSTON: 44
- CHICAGO: 43
- ST. LOUIS: 40
- INDIANAPOLIS: 35
- SAN DIEGO: 32
- SAN ANTONIO: 31
- CLEVELAND: 30
USPS says it trains its letter carriers to watch out for dog attack risks and defend themselves if necessary. If an aggressive dog makes delivering mail unsafe, the agency may temporarily suspend mail service to the address.
It offers tips for dog owners to reduce the risk of conflict with letter carriers: Dogs may be kept in separate rooms or on a leash when answering for mail delivery. The agency also recommends not directly accepting a mail handoff from a letter carrier, since a dog may interpret that interaction as aggression on the part of the letter carrier.
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The Postal Service will start a month-long campaign in June to build awareness about dog bite risks.
“Every single day, our postal employees serve their communities across dynamic, fast-changing environments,” said USPS' Leeann Theriault. “Preventing dog-related incidents requires constant, shared vigilance. This campaign reinforces a vital truth: Animal behaviors can change in an instant, but proactive awareness from both our carriers and the customers we serve can stop painful injuries before they ever happen."
