Houston ranks first and Los Angeles a close second when it comes to dog attacks on the people who deliver the mail to us, according to the US Post Office. More than 5,500 postal employees were victims of dog attacks last year across the U.S. Texas, California and Ohio had two cities in the top 10 list of places where dogs bite the "mailman." See Postal Service Releases Top Dog Attack City Rankings, May 14, 2014.
Dog owners need to understand that an attack on a mail carrier is not a Norman Rockwell moment (i.e., a pleasant slice of American life) but can produce terrible consequences. The dog can end up being taken away, its owner sued, and the delivery of mail halted. For the injured postal worker, there are two choices: federal workers compensation which costs the taxpayers money, and an insurance claim against the dog owner's policy of homeowner insurance or renters insurance.
