More than 6,000 dog attacks were recorded in 2024, and attacks were highest in the Midwest.
Dog attacks on postal workers in the U.S. reached a seven-year high last year, with more than 6,000 attacks recorded, according to data from the U.S. Postal Service. This represents a 5% increase from 2023 and a 15% rise compared to 2022, underscoring a growing safety concern for mail carriers nationwide.
An NBC News analysis of the Postal Service data revealed that the highest rate of dog attacks occurred in the Midwest. When adjusted for the number of households, Midwest states including Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Ohio showed the highest rates. In 2024, the Midwest averaged 5.24 dog attacks per 100,000 households — a rate 75% higher than that seen in the South.
With more than one in three American households owning dogs, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, mail carriers face constant risk as they deliver mail to hundreds of addresses daily. David Coleman, a spokesperson for the Postal Service, described the situation as “a real problem,” explaining that dogs act on instinct and can bite for many reasons. “All it takes is just one wrong interaction or movement for our carriers to be injured,” he said.
The Postal Service publishes its dog attack figures annually as part of its Dog Bite Awareness campaign. These incidents, mostly self-reported by employees, range from chases and bites to assaults and even deaths. One tragic case involved a 61-year-old mail carrier in Florida who died in 2022 after being mauled by five dogs.
City-level data also highlights hotspots: among cities with ten or more dog attacks, eight are in California and seven are in Ohio, together making up a quarter of the list.
For the more than 300,000 mail carriers across the country, the risk accumulates with each delivery route. Beyond physical harm, dog attacks have significant financial and emotional impacts. In 2024, the average cost per insurance claim for a dog bite reached nearly $70,000, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
To help reduce the risk of attacks, the Postal Service has introduced guidelines for safely interacting with dogs during deliveries. These include carrying dog repellant and using mail satchels as barriers to maintain distance from dogs.
Coleman offered advice to dog owners: “The best way to keep safe from dog bites and attacks is to recognize and promote responsible pet ownership. Teach your dog appropriate behavior and commands and don’t allow a dog to roam freely.” These measures are critical not only to protect mail carriers but also to ensure safer neighborhoods for everyone.