Youngstown this year is listed among the top 25 U.S. cities for dog attacks on postal carriers, based on 2021 reports.

Youngstown is No. 24 with 16 attacks on carriers last year, according to the U.S. Postal Service’s new rankings of dog attacks.

Six Ohio cities made the list. Cleveland is No. 1 with 58 attacks.

The top 25 rankings are comprised of 32 cities, as some cities — such as Akron and Albuquerque at 20, and Columbus and San Diego at 31 — reported the same number of attacks.

More than 5,400 postal employees were attacked by dogs in the United States in 2021.

Ohio had 359 such attacks in 2021 and 369 in 2020, according to the postal service.

From nips and bites to vicious attacks, aggressive dog behavior poses a serious threat to postal employees and the public, the postal service says.

Letter carriers are trained to observe an area where they know dogs may be present. They are taught to be alert for potentially dangerous conditions and to respect a dog’s territory. If a dog attacks, carriers also are trained to stand their ground and protect their body by placing something between them and the dog — such as their mail satchel — and use dog repellent, if necessary.

When a carrier feels unsafe, mail service could be halted — not only for the dog owner, but for the entire neighborhood. When mail service is stopped, mail must be picked up at the post office. Service will not be restored until the dog is properly restrained.

NEXT WEEK

To highlight the issue, the U.S. Postal Service is providing information on the do’s and don’ts of responsible dog ownership as part of its annual National Dog Bite Awareness Week public service campaign.

The campaign runs Sunday through June 11. This year’s theme is “The USPS Delivers for America — Deliver for Us by Restraining Your Dog.”

“Every year, thousands of postal employees are attacked by dogs as they deliver America’s mail. And while it’s a dog’s natural instinct to protect their family and home, we ask all customers to act responsibly by taking safety precautions with their dogs while the mail is being delivered,” said USPS Employee Safety and Health Awareness Manager Leeann Theriault. “When a carrier comes to the residence, keep the dog inside the house and away from the door — or behind a fence on a leash — to avoid an attack.”

Even friendly dogs will bite, depending on the circumstance. Dogs are primarily territorial in nature and protective of their owners and their owners’ property. Defending its territory sometimes means attacking — and possibly biting — the letter carrier. Dog owners are responsible for controlling their dogs, the postal service says.

SAFETY TIPS

Most people know the approximate time their letter carrier arrives each day. Securing the dog before the carrier approaches your property will minimize any dog-carrier interactions. The postal service advises when a letter carrier comes to your home, keep dogs:

∫ Inside the house or behind a fence;

∫ Away from the door or in another room;

∫ On a leash.

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

Informed Delivery is a tool for dog-owning customers. It’s a free service that gives customers a digital preview of the mail and packages that are scheduled to be delivered so that they can take precautions and secure their dog when parcels are delivered to the door. Sign up at informeddelivery.usps.com.

“The postal service takes the safety of our employees as seriously as we take our commitment to delivering America’s mail,” said USPS Occupational Safety and Health Senior Director Linda DeCarlo. “Please deliver for us by being responsible pet owners, and make sure your dogs are secured when our carrier comes to your mailbox.”

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