Dogs Attacking Mail Carriers Linked to Warm Weather

Dog owners who allow their pets to roam free when the weather's warmer have caused major problems for some mail carriers.

In Northern Virginia, three letter carriers were injured by dog bites in the last two weeks, said Patrick Murphy, a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service.

“We need help from our customers to keep our carriers safe,” U.S. Postal Service District Manager Michael Furey said. “We work hard to make the work place safe for employees. When our carriers are on the street, their work place is the homes and businesses of the customers we serve."

In the Dale City-Woodbridge area, a dog jumped a fence and attacked a postal worker; that person remains out of work after undergoing two surgeries related to the attack, Murphy said. One incident of a dog biting a mailman was reported in Lorton in the past year, but details of that specific incident were not available.

Another worker was bitten 11 times by two dogs in Alexandria who charged through an open gate and attacked. 

A dog lunged through a screen door and bit a carrier in Alexandria, Murphy said.

Seven cases of dogs biting postal workers were reported this year. Forty-nine cases were reported since March 2011, according to the U.S. Postal Service.

Arlington has the most reported incidents of dogs attacking mail carriers. There were eight attacks in that area in the last 12 months.

Here is a list of the areas in Northern Virginia with the most attacks:

7 Alexandria

6 Falls Church

5 Woodbridge  

3 Winchester

3 Vienna

3 Fairfax  

2 Herndon

2 Manassas

1 Lorton