ATLANTA — The U.S. Postal Service has launched its annual Dog Bite Awareness Campaign as of June 1.
The campaign comes after more than 5,200 dog attacks on postal employees were reported last year.
Postal officials are urging dog owners to secure their pets before opening the door for a mail carrier. They recommend placing dogs in a separate closed room and making sure pets are not running loose in the yard when mail is being delivered.
According to the Postal Service, California recorded the highest number of dog attacks on mail carriers, averaging nearly one attack per day. Georgia did not rank among the top 10 states for dog attacks on postal workers.
The Postal Service warns that dog owners could be held liable if their pet attacks a postal employee.
Officials say owners may be responsible for medical expenses, lost work time and emotional distress resulting from an attack.
