More than 6,000 dog attacks on postal workers in 2024. Where Michigan ranks

• Over 6,000 dog attacks on USPS employees were reported in 2024, a rise from the previous year.
• The USPS launched a dog bite awareness campaign to emphasize responsible pet ownership and carrier safety.
• Dog owners are advised to secure their dogs during mail delivery to prevent attacks and potential service disruptions.

Michigan ranked seventh in the nation in 2024 for most reported dog attacks against U.S. Postal Service employees, the federal agency said on May 29.

In addition, Detroit tied for 11th-most attacks with San Antonia, Texas, Columbus, Ohio, and Philadelphia with 32, the USPS said.

The USPS released the 2024 statistics leading up to the start of its 2025 USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign. The month-long campaign begins on Sunday, June 1. This year’s theme is “Secure Your Dog, Keep Deliveries on Track,” the USPS said.

“The best way to keep safe from dog attacks is to recognize and promote the responsibility of pet ownership, such as teaching your dog appropriate behavior and commands and not allowing your dog to roam freely. All dogs — regardless of breed, size or age — have the potential to bite,” said Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager. “Dog bite attacks on postal employees are preventable. The most important message for our customers to remember during the 2025 USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign is keep your dog secured and away from the carrier as the mail is being delivered. Help ensure the safety of everyone in our communities.” 

There were more than 6,000 reported dog attacks on Postal Service employees in 2024, up from about 5,800 such incidents the year before, according to the data.

Here’s what to know about dog attacks in 2024.

How many dog attacks were there nationally in 2024?

According to the Insurance Information Institute, about 65 million households own dogs, and there were about 90 million dogs in 2024.

There were 22,658 liability claims for dog bites or attacks in 2024 — up from 19,062 in 2023.

California ranked first in insurance claims with 2,417 in 2024. Michigan ranked fourth behind Florida and Texas with 1,138 claims. The cost per insurance claim averaged $63,000.

Top states for postal worker dog attacks in 2024

2024 Dog Bite/Dog Incident Data
STATE	# of DOG BITE/ATTACK	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

Top cities for postal worker dog attacks in 2024

CITY	# of DOG BITE/DOG ATTACK	Top cities by number
1	LOS ANGELES, California	77	1
2	HOUSTON, Texas	65	2
3	CHICAGO, Illinois	57	3
4	ST. LOUIS, Missouri	47	4
5	CINCINNATI, Ohio	44	5
6	DALLAS, Texas	43	6
7	KANSAS CITY, Missouri	40	7
8	CLEVELAND, Ohio	40	7
9	SAN DIEGO, California	35	9
10	DENVER, Colorado	34	10
11	SAN ANTONIO, Texas	32	11
12	PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania	32	11
13	DETROIT, Michigan	32	11
14	COLUMBUS, Ohio	32	11

The USPS did not immediately respond to a request for data on other Michigan cities.

The cost of a dog attack

When a postal employee suffers an injury from a dog attack, it can cost the dog owner thousands of dollars because they could be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs, and pain and suffering for the employee, the USPS noted.

“Customers may not consider their dog a danger to others, however, to a letter carrier like me, all dogs can be considered a threat when delivering the mail,” said Jonah Helfrich, a Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, letter carrier. “I was recently delivering mail and a dog barged through a door and bit me on the wrist, which required me to seek medical treatment.” 

Dog owners can help

Even dogs that have never shown signs of aggression can react in ways their owners don’t expect, the USPS said.

“They can act without warning on their instinct to protect their owners and their owners’ property. Dogs may attack not only to defend their territory, but also when they feel startled, anxious or unwell. It’s not just about bad or aggressive dogs — it’s about unpredictable moments,” according to the USPS.

• The postal service said owners should secure their dog before the carrier approaches the property.
• Keep your dog in a separate room or area away from the door when the mail carrier comes to your house.
• If you go outside, close the door firmly behind you and make sure it is secured so your dog doesn’t slip out or bust through it unexpectedly.
• If you are outside with your dog while mail is being delivered, make sure your dog is secured away from the mail carrier and on a leash.
• Never accept the mail from your mail carrier in the presence of your dog.
• Pet owners also should remind children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier because the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child.

Mail carriers trained to appear non-threatening

Mail carriers are trained to observe an area where they know dogs may be present. They are taught to be alert for potentially dangerous conditions and to respect a dog’s territory, including:

• Make a non-threatening noise or rattle a fence to alert a dog if entering a yard
• Never startle a dog
• Keep their eyes on any dog
• Never assume a dog will not bite
• Never attempt to pet or feed a dog
• Place their foot against an outward swinging door to prevent a dog from escaping
• If a dog attacks, carriers are also trained 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. 

An unsecured dog could mean no mail delivery

When a carrier feels unsafe, mail service can be stopped. Until the carrier feels safe enough to restart delivery, the mail will have to be picked up at the dog owner’s local Post Office. 

If a dangerous dog issue is not resolved, owners can be required to rent a Post Office box to receive mail. 

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