CLEVELAND — According to the United States Postal Service, thousands of letter carriers across the nation are bitten by dogs every year. It's a trend they say is on the rise. Among the top five locations with the most dog attacks is Cleveland, whose letter carriers travel throughout all of Cuyahoga County.
"Cleveland used to be number three in dog bites, now we're down to number five, so that's good," said the President of the National Association of Letter Carriers Cleveland Branch Eric Poston. "Across the country though, we have over 5,000 dog bites. Last year, 2023, was over 5,800 dog bites, so it's something that definitely isn't going away."
If your letter carrier feels unsafe due to a dog, you could face consequences.
"Usually, if the dog has attacked a letter carrier, that becomes a menacing dog," said Poston. "In some cases, the dog is removed. In other cases, we put the mail on hold and the customer has to get a post office box and they have to pick up their mail at the post office."
Should your dog injure a letter carrier, you could be held responsible for paying fees such as medical bills, lost wages and uniform replacement costs. On average, the cost per insurance claim for a dog bite is roughly $65,000 according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Paul Pollock, the owner of Sit Means Sit Dog Training, suggests blocking your dog from reacting to a delivery person from day one, so it doesn't get worse.
"The key is don't let it become a habit," said Pollock. "In the beginning, as soon as that starts, don't let him get to the mailman. Restrain him. You can keep him in another room or keep him inside."
Additional recommendations from the U.S. Postal Service include keeping your dog away from the front door and never letting children take mail directly from a letter carrier.