The U.S. Postal Service is starting its annual National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign on June 1 in response to the rise in dog attacks on postal workers, which reached over 6,000 occurrences in the last year.
Los Angeles had more dog attacks on postal workers in 2024 than any other city in the nation, with 77, according to USPS data.
Chicago came in third place with 57 incidences, followed by Houston with 65.
Oakland, San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Stockton are among the other California cities that reached the top 20 list.
| Rank | City, State | Number of Attacks |
| 1 | Los Angeles, California | 77 |
| 2 | Houston, Texas | 65 |
| 3 | Chicago, Illinois | 57 |
| 4 | St. Louis, Missouri | 47 |
| 5 | Cincinnati, Ohio | 44 |
| 6 | Dallas, Texas | 43 |
| 7 | Kansas City, Missouri | 40 |
| 7 | Cleveland, Ohio | 40 |
| 8 | San Diego, California | 35 |
| 9 | Denver, Colorado | 34 |
| 10 | San Antonio, Texas | 32 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 32 |
| 10 | Detroit, Michigan | 32 |
| 10 | Columbus, Ohio | 32 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 30 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, Indiana | 26 |
| 13 | Phoenix, Arizona | 25 |
| 13 | Memphis, Tennessee | 25 |
| 14 | Omaha, Nebraska | 24 |
| 14 | Louisville, Kentucky | 24 |
| 15 | Rochester, New York | 23 |
| 16 | Toledo, Ohio | 21 |
| 16 | Sacramento, California | 21 |
| 16 | El Paso, Texas | 21 |
| 17 | San Francisco, California | 20 |
| 17 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 20 |
| 17 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 20 |
| 17 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 20 |
| 18 | Stockton, California | 18 |
| 18 | Oakland, California | 18 |
| 19 | Youngstown, Ohio | 17 |
| 19 | Salt Lake City, Utah | 17 |
| 19 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 17 |
| 19 | Miami, Florida | 17 |
| 19 | Des Moines, Iowa | 17 |
| 20 | St. Petersburg, Florida | 15 |
| 20 | Fort Worth, Texas | 15 |
| 20 | Birmingham, Alabama | 15 |
With 701 dog bite incidents nationwide, California led all states, followed by Texas in second place and Ohio in third.
| 2024 Dog Bite/Dog Incident Data | |||
| STATE | Number of dog bites | Top 10 States | |
| 1 | California | 701 | 1 |
| 2 | Texas | 438 | 2 |
| 3 | Ohio | 350 | 3 |
| 4 | Illinois | 344 | 4 |
| 5 | New York | 322 | 5 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 316 | 6 |
| 7 | Michigan | 231 | 7 |
| 8 | Florida | 210 | 8 |
| 9 | Missouri | 207 | 9 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 169 | 10 |
The “Secure Your Dog, Keep Deliveries on Track” campaign this year encourages pet owners to be accountable for ensuring that their dogs are securely confined when the mail is delivered.
Throughout June, the campaign raises awareness on social media by using the hashtag #dogbiteawareness.
The USPS staff safety and health awareness manager, Leeann Theriault, stated in a statement that “the best way to keep safe from dog attacks is to recognize and promote the responsibility of pet ownership.All dogs — regardless of breed, size, or age — have the potential to bite.”
Dog assaults on USPS employees can cause bodily injuries as well as expensive consequences for dog owners, such as medical bills, missed income, and replacement uniform costs.
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Mail delivery to the home may be halted until the dog is securely restrained if a mail carrier feels insecure. After that, residents would have to go to their neighborhood post office to pick up their mail. Pet owners may occasionally be required to rent a P.O. box in order for the USPS to restore service.
The USPS encourages pet owners to take preventative measures as part of its yearly campaign.
“The most important message for our customers to remember is to keep your dog secured and away from the carrier as the mail is being delivered,” Theriault stated. “Help ensure the safety of everyone in our communities.”
