Houston has the best variety of postal service workers assaulted by dogs, according to a ranking launched by the United States Postal Service.
Fifty-7 postal service workers were bitten by dogs in 2022, according to the USPS’ Dog Bite National Rankings. And runner-up Los Angeles isn’t precisely nipping at Houston’s heels: The city tallied a shocking 9 extra attacks than the country’s second-largest city.
What’s more, it isn’t even near the very first time the city made the wicked difference. Houston stayed at the top of the nation for dog bites for many years, however providers captured a quick reprieve when Houston was changed by Cleveland, Ohio in 2021. By 2022, Houston was back at the front of the pack.
Texas likewise was the second-worst state, as an entire, for dog attacks on postal employees in 2022, with 404 attacks. California was the worst in 2022 with 675 reported dog attacks.
The USPS launches its yearly ranking to raise awareness for National Dog Bite Awareness Week, a civil service campaign at the start of June each year.
“When letter carriers deliver mail in our communities, dogs that are not secured or leashed can become a nemesis and unpredictable and attack,” said Leeann Theriault, USPS worker safety and health awareness supervisor, according to a press release. “Help us deliver your mail safely by keeping your dog secure and out of the way before your carrier arrives.”
Dog attacks to mail providers in Houston have actually been well recorded, and letter providers are seriously hurt and hospitalized typically, according to a USPS safety supervisor.
In 2021, the Chronicle followed postal employee Roland “Bucky” Hernandez, who strolled the exact same path in Eastwood for more than a years. Hernandez revealed the scars from bites he received from roaming dogs, which had actually landed him in the medical facility.
When an attack does occur, USPS Houston partners with the BARC animal shelter to help obtain unrestrained and harmful animals.
The USPS prompts homeowners to secure their dogs prior to a mail provider approaches their property. They likewise advise family pet owners to notify their kids to not take mail straight from a letter provider, as dogs might see the provider as a danger to the kid.
“When our mail carriers are bitten, it is usually a ‘good dog’ that had not previously behaved in a menacing way,” said USPS Occupational Safety and Health Senior Director Linda DeCarlo, according to a press release. “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.”
Here were the 10 worst cities for dog attacks on postal employees in 2022:
- Houston – 57
- Los Angeles – 48
- dallas-44
- Cleveland – 43
- San Diego-39
- Chicago – 36
- St. Louis – 34
- Kansas City – 33
- Phoenix – 32
- Saint Anthony – 32
