Fewer mail carriers have been bit by canine in Ohio final yr, however the state continues to be among the many highest within the nation. The US Postal Service releases canine assault statistics yearly, and in 2022, Ohio recorded 311, down from 359 the yr earlier than and 369 the yr earlier than that.
That places Ohio in fifth place nationally, down from third place. Kentucky and Indiana did not crack the highest 10.
The USPS is observing Nationwide Canine Chew Consciousness Week by means of June 10.
“When letter carriers ship mail in our communities, canine that aren’t secured or leashed can change into a nemesis and unpredictable and assault,” says Leeann Theriault, USPS worker security and well being consciousness supervisor.
LISTEN: preserve your pets protected within the summertime
Inside Ohio, Cleveland had probably the most canine bites — 43 — final yr, putting it fourth within the nation. Columbus recorded 23, Cincinnati had 22, Toledo 20, Akron 19 and Dayton had 18.
Louisville had 26 and Indianapolis 21.
The USPS trains carriers on act round canine, however says canine homeowners can do rather a lot to stop an incident: securing a canine inside the home, behind a fence, in one other room or on a leash.
“When our mail carriers are bitten, it’s often a ‘good canine’ that had not beforehand behaved in a menacing approach,” says USPS Occupational Security and Well being Senior Director Linda DeCarlo. “In 2022, too many aggressive canine impacted the lives of our staff whereas delivering the mail. Please assist us cut back that quantity by being a accountable pet proprietor who secures their canine as we ship the mail.”
The Put up Workplace says if a provider feels unsafe due to a canine, mail service may very well be suspended to a person deal with and even a complete neighborhood.
