Louisville ranked 14th nationally for dog attacks on mail carriers last year

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville ranked 14th in the nation for dog attacks on postal workers last year, according to the United States Postal Service.

USPS reported 24 dog attack happened to postal service employees in Louisville last year. Indianapolis ranked 12th with 26 attacks.

Los Angeles was the top-ranked city, finishing the year with 77 attacks. Houston was second with 65 attacks, followed by Chicago in third with 57 attacks.

USPS said dog attacks on postal workers climbed to more than 6,000 cases last year. USPS launched its annual National Dog Bite Awareness campaign June 1.

The postal service encourages pet owners to take preventative action to keep mail carriers safe.

Last year, 6,088 postal employees were attacked by dogs.

USPS released a variety of tips to protect mail carriers:

If a carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door. Some dogs burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to attack visitors. Dog owners should keep the family pet secured.
Parents should remind their children and other family members not to take mail directly from carriers in the presence of the family pet, as the dog may view the person handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture.
The Postal Service places the safety of its employees as a top priority. If a carrier feels threatened by a dog, or if a dog is loose or unleashed, the owner may be asked to pick up mail at a Post Office until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If a dog is roaming the neighborhood, the pet owner's neighbors also may be asked to pick up their mail at the area’s Post Office.

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