U.S. Postal Service Says More than 5,300 Mail Carriers were Attacked by Dogs in Wyoming Last Year

National Dog Bite Awareness Week -- yep, it's a thing -- begins June 4th and runs through June 10th. This year's theme is "Even good dogs have bad days."

According to the U.S. Postal service, more than 5,300 mail carriers were attacked by dogs in Wyoming last year.

They did not include the type of dogs or extent of the workers' injuries.

The service said that many of the attacks reported by workers came from dogs whose owners regularly stated, "My dog won't bite."

“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 highest ranking cities for dog bites last year were:

Houston, TX
Los Angeles, CA
Dallas, TX
Celveland, OH
San Diego, CA
Chicago, IL
St. Louis, MO
Kansas City, MO
Phoenix, AZ
San Antonio, TX

“When letter carriers deliver mail in our communities, dogs that are not secured or leashed can become a nemesis and unpredictable and attack,” said Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager. “Help us deliver your mail safely by keeping your dog secure and out of the way before your carrier arrives.”

The Postal Service asks that when a letter carrier comes to your home, keep dogs inside the house or behind a fence, away from the door in another room, or on a leash.

Pet owners also should remind children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child.