Postal Carriers Beware: Illinois Among Top 10 States For Dog Bites

CHICAGO — Postal carriers across Illinois may be duty-bound to deliver the mail no matter the weather, but in addition to boasting some not-so-pleasant weather at times, the state also has another hazard to postal workers.

Biting dogs.

Illinois ranks seventh nationally in the number of postal workers being bitten by dogs, according to data released by the United States Postal Service. The state registered 226 mail carriers who were bitten by dogs in 2021. While the total number of dog bites was down from 2020, when the postal service said that 289 of their Illinois employees were bitten, Illinois is one of eight states that tallied more than 200 bitten mail carriers.

California topped the rankings with 656, which was nearly double the total reported by postal carriers in Texas, which ranked second with 356.

Among metropolitan areas, Chicago ranked eighth with 35 bitten mail carriers, which ranked just below St. Louis, which reported 36. Cleveland topped the charts among U.S. cities with 58, followed by Houston (54), Kansas City (48) and Los Angeles (44), the postal service reported.

The U.S. Postal Service released the rankings last week ahead of National Dog Bite Awareness Week, which started on Sunday.

Nationally, the postal service reported that more than 5,600 of its carriers were bitten by dogs in 2021. The bites varied in severity to mail carriers being nipped at to more severe injuries that were sustained by the postal workers.

“Every year, thousands of postal employees are attacked by dogs as they deliver America’s mail. And while it’s a dog’s natural instinct to protect their family and home, we ask all customers to act responsibly by taking safety precautions with their dogs while the mail is being delivered,” USPS Employee Safety and Health Awareness Manager Leeann Theriault said in a news release. “When a carrier comes to the residence, keep the dog inside the house and away from the door — or behind a fence on a leash — to avoid an attack.”

The postal service asks that when a mail carrier approaches a resident’s home, dogs be kept indoors or behind a fence, on a leash, or not close to the door if the postal worker is greeted at the door.

Pet owners also should remind their children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier, as the dog may view the carrier as a threat, postal officials said.

Letter carriers are trained to:

• Not startle a dog.
• Keep their eyes on the dog.
• Never assume a dog won’t bite.
• Make some noise or rattle a fence to alert the dog if entering a yard.
• Never attempt to pet or feed a dog.
• Place their foot against an outward swinging door.

If a dog attacks, mail carriers are trained to stand their ground and protect their body by placing something between them and the dog — such as their mail satchel — and use dog repellent, if necessary, officials said.