In 2021, Alabama postal workers had 70 incidents with dogs. 10 were in Birmingham.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — This week, the US Postal Service is elevating consciousness round postal staff who’re bitten by canines.

Sunday started USPS Canine Chew Consciousness Week, based on a launch by the postal service. In 2021, the company stated, greater than 5,400 postal workers have been attacked by canines in the US. The theme of this yr’s consciousness week is “The USPS delivers for America — ship for us by restraining your canine,” the discharge stated.

“From nips and bites to vicious assaults, aggressive canine habits poses a severe risk to our postal workers who’re delivering for America,” Alabama-Mississippi District Supervisor June Martindale stated.

Information offered to CBS 42 by USPS reveals that in 2021, Alabama was in the course of the pack in the case of the variety of canine incidents with postal staff. Final yr, the state was twenty fourth within the variety of canine incidents with 70, the information reveals.

Birmingham accounted for 10 of these incidents, based on the information. Cities with the same variety of canine incidents embody Canton, Fresno, Grand Rapids, Portland, and Tulsa.

Cleveland had the best variety of canine incidents in 2021, with 58. Shut behind have been Houston (54) Kansas Metropolis, Missouri (48), and Los Angeles (44).

USPS stated that letter carriers are educated to not startle canines, keep attentive, and by no means assume a canine received’t chew.

“Though we ask our prospects’ cooperation in controlling their canines, sadly, canine bites nonetheless occur,” stated Martindale. “This may increasingly end in accidents to our carriers and dear medical bills for canine house owners. Please heed finest practices to assist cease canine bites and shield your letter service.”

USPS additionally stated that carriers have instruments that may assist keep away from canine bites, together with a “canine alert characteristic” on their handheld scanners and canine warning playing cards as reminders after they type their mail for his or her routes.

If a service’s security is in peril, although, postal officers stated that the presence of an aggressive canine can result in a halt in mail service.

“When a service feels unsafe, mail serviced might be halted — not just for the canine proprietor, however for a block or a complete neighborhood,” the USPS stated within the launch. “When mail service is suspended, prospects should choose up their mail at their native Publish Workplace. Supply can be restored when the canine is correctly restrained.”