Pittsburgh ranks high for mail carrier dog bites
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
The Steel City has one of the highest percentages of dogs biting mail carriers of any U.S. city.
Why it matters: We don't live in a cartoon. Dog bites are dangerous.
By the numbers: There were 21 dog attack incidents involving mail carriers in Pittsburgh in 2025, according to new USPS data.
Zoom in: That's nearly seven incidents per 100,000 residents, the sixth-highest rate of any city studied by USPS.
Zoom out: Dayton, Ohio, had 13.8 incidents per 100,000 residents, the highest rate of any city.
- Los Angeles had the most incidents, with 70.
- Philadelphia had 20 incidents and the lowest rate of any city with just 1.25 per 100,000 residents.
The big picture: Nationwide, postal workers dealt with over 5,200 dog attacks last year.
- Dog attacks can leave pet owners liable for thousands of dollars to compensate for lost wages, medical expenses and other costs.
The bottom line: USPS' new dog bite awareness campaign began this month.
- USPS safety manager Leeann Theriault said in a statement: "Preventing dog-related incidents requires constant, shared vigilance."