Mail Carrier Safety in Montana: USPS Shares Dog Attack Stats and Tips

When I was a kid riding my bike around my neighborhood, a dog came running out of an alley and bit me on my upper leg. I wrecked my bike and hobbled home. My mom was in a panic and I still have a scar on my leg from the bite.

Everyone likes to believe their dog won't bite someone, but you really can never tell what can trigger a dog to defend themselves or attack someone. That is why the U.S. Postal Service has their National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign for the month of June.

READ MORE: 7 Things You Can't Legally Mail in Montana

According to the USPS in 2024, 6,088 postal employees were attacked by dogs. NBC News has a breakdown of dog attacks by state, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The good news is that Montana has some well-behaved dogs. The bad news  is that even one dog attack is too many.

Montana Had 20 Dog Attacks in 2024

Montana had 20 reported dog attacks on postal workers in 2024. That was less than Idaho (23), but more than North Dakota (13), South Dakota (7), and Wyoming (8).

via GIPHY

The Midwest had the highest rate of dog attacks, with Ohio having the most attacks with 350.

The USPS offers the following tips to prevent dog attacks:

• Put your dog in a different room before opening the door to accept a package or mail from a postal employee.
• Teach or remind your children not to take mail or a package from a postal worker in the presence of a pet. The pet could perceive that as a threat.

If a postal carrier feels threatened by an animal, they may notify the owner they need to pick up their mail at their post office. These tips aren't just for June, they are for all year long.

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Over the years, my postal carriers have normally had a box of treats for my dogs. They have become friends with my dogs. But we still try to put our dog in a different room whenever a package or pizza is delivered to our home. Please help keep our postal workers safe.