In a report published ahead of National Dog Bite Awareness Week, USPS said that 5,300 postal workers were bitten by dogs while on the job last year.
According to the report, California saw the most dog-on-mail carrier violence in 2022 ― with 675 incidents.
Texas came in a distant second with 404 reports and New York was not far behind with 321 bites last year.
Houston ranked as the city with the most incidents, while Los Angeles and Dallas made number two and three.
In the report, the postal service asked the public to “help us deliver your mail safely by keeping your dog secure and out of the way before your carrier arrives.”
Mail carriers are all trained how to respect a dog’s territory and how to recognize a potentially dangerous canine situation but can’t control the environment they’re walking into.
A spokesperson for USPS urged people to be mindful about when they’re keeping their dogs off leash, saying, “In 2022, too many aggressive dogs impacted the lives of our employees while delivering the mail.”
“Please help us reduce that number by being a responsible pet owner who secures their dog as we deliver the mail.”