California and LA ranked as the top state and city for dog attacks on postal service employees, which rose to more than 6,000 cases last year.

In conjunction with the 2025 USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign that begins June 1, the postal service compiled dog bite statistics for the United States.

Mail carriers are trained to observe an area where they know dogs may be present and to be alert for potentially dangerous conditions.

Mail carriers are also trained to:

• 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.

Mail carriers use tools to alert them to dogs on their routes. A dog alert feature on carriers’ handheld scanners can remind them of a possible dog hazard, and dog warning cards must be used during mail sorting to alert carriers to addresses where a dog may interfere with delivery.

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.

“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. I strongly encourage all dog owners to take precautions to make sure their dog is secure when mail is being delivered.”

If a mail carrier feels unsafe, mail service can be stopped, and if the situation isn’t resolved, the owner may be required to rent a post office box to receive mail.

The awareness campaign runs the entire month of June.