Postal workers in the U.S. experienced 5,800 dog bites last year, with Kansas City identified as one of the most dangerous cities for such incidents.
The average insurance claim for a dog bite is $64,000 — and the dog owner is responsible, the post office says.
Last year, dogs bit workers 76 times in Kansas, 180 times in Missouri, and 32 times in Kansas City.
This makes Kansas City the 11th worst city in the country for dog bites.
“Take your pet inside, give us a wave from the window,” said Mark Inglett, a strategic communication specialist for the United States Postal Service. “But let us put the mail in the box, because if we hand that to you or a child, the dog's going to look at that and think, okay, something's not right here.”
In October 2022, a tragic incident occurred in Ray County. Two dogs attacked an Amazon delivery worker, who subsequently died from his injuries.
This week is National Dog Bite Awareness Week. The public is asked to spread the word and help keep letter carriers safe.
“They're great pets, and we love them,” Inglett said. “But when they're protecting the family, it's all business, those dogs. And we're doing everything we can to avoid that interaction.”
In 2017, the USPS launched a free service called “Informed Delivery.” This service gives people a heads-up when a package or letter is expected to arrive.
Since the launch of “Informed Delivery,” 50 million people have signed up for the service.