Last weekend as we made the drive to Trackside Donuts in Bonita Springs I noticed that the Post Office there was hiring. Being a Florida mail carrier seems like a decent enough job. You get to be outside. Get some exercise. Government benefits. But there’s danger in everything. In this case, it’s dogs.
Florida ranks 7th in the nation for dog attacks on letter carriers.
Even though postal officials ask customers to control their dogs, bites still happen and may result in injuries to carriers and costly medical expenses for dog owners. Even without an attack, if a carrier feels unsafe, mail service could be halted — not only for the dog owner, but for the entire neighborhood. When mail service is stopped, mail must be picked up at the Post Office. Service will not be restored until the aggressive dog is properly restrained.
Number one state for dog attacks? Oh, and it’s bad. It’s actually three times worse. California. In 2022 data, California dogs are much more likely to attack the mail carriers by a wide margin over other states.
Here’s the breakdown, in data supplied by the USPS:
Top 10 Dog Bite States:
“Recently, I was delivering to a customer’s mailbox and was nearly bitten by their large aggressive dog,” said Swain Lowe, a letter carrier in Manassas, Virginia. “Despite the dog being behind a fence, it still managed to jump over and charge me. Thankfully, I was aware of it and remembered not to run but to turn and use my satchel as a shield to prevent what could have been a terrible bite.”
The USPS also breaks it down by city. Only one Florida city made the top 20.
So if you’re looking to be a mail carrier, this is something to watch out for.
But not from my dog. I have a 6 pound Yorkie. She’s not much of a threat.
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