CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's an issue so common you've probably seen it on TV, but the U.S. Postal Service said dogs going after mail carriers is no joke.
The service is sounding off on the issue, sharing new data on just how many attacks there have been with more than 5,300 postal workers reportedly attacked by dogs in the last year.
“In North Carolina, there were 146 dog attacks last year. Twenty-one of those took place in Charlotte," Philip Bogenberger, a USPS Spokesman, said. "It may not seem like something that's a high number, but to us, one bite is one bite too many."
To help, they're sending out messages to homeowners, encouraging them to put their pets away.
“Make sure that they are in an area that is fenced so that they can't access the carrier when he's trying to get to the mailbox," Bogenberger said. "If you have a pet that is indoors, but for some reason you need to, you know, engage the carrier…keep that pet in another room.”
Postal workers can make note of homes that have a pet, so they're not caught by surprise and, if a carrier feels threatened by a dog that's at a home or roaming the neighborhood, that owner and the pet's neighbors could be asked to pick up their mail at a nearby post office.
“We know most dogs are friendly, and everybody thinks their dog might be friendly, but the best way to keep a carrier safe is to limit that interaction," Bogenberger said.
To learn more ways to keep postal workers safe, visit USPS online.
Contact Kayland Hagwood at khagwood@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.