Massachusetts Mail Carriers Bitten By Dogs Over 100 Times in 2023

Who let the dogs out?

The United States Postal Service says, "More than 5,800 postal employees were attacked by dogs last year," an increase over 2022. The USPS says dog attacks are an "important public health issue."

The Postal Service launched the Dog Bite Awareness Campaign in June to remind folks that, like dogs, letter carriers are people too, and their safety should be of the utmost concern.

The awareness campaign provides several tips for "protecting mail carriers while making their rounds."

Get our free mobile app

One tip advises, "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." USPS says, "Some dogs burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to attack visitors."

Additional tips to keep the mail carrier from being mauled by your dog can be found on the USPS website.

Mailer carriers are trained to protect themselves from out-of-control dogs and they are taught to "stand their ground and protect their body by placing something between them and the dog – such as a mail satchel – and to use dog repellent if necessary."

The top 10 states for dog attacks on postal workers in 2023 were California (727), Texas (411), Ohio (359), Pennsylvania (334), Illinois (316), New York (296), Florida (193), North Carolina (185), Michigan (183) and Missouri (180).

The Postal Service says Springfield had the most dog bites in Massachusetts in 2023 with five, Woburn with four, and Beverly, Milton, Shrewsbury and Webster with three each. Twenty other Massachusetts communities experienced two bites and another 55 locations each had one, for a total of 116 state-wide in 2023.

The USPS data did not indicate how many if any, dog attacks occurred in New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton or the surrounding towns. I guess no news is good news.