Minneapolis dogs 7th worst in U.S. for attacking mail carriers

garlandcannon

Your mail carrier doesn't want to see this.

​All winter long, Minneapolis mail carriers slog through snow drifts. In the summer they're bombarded by the State Bird (not that one, this one). And all year long they have to worry about mean-ass dogs tearing a chunk of meat out of their hide.

It could be worse, the U.S. Postal Services says. They could be working in Houston.

Never the less, Minneapolis was the seventh worst city in the country last year for dog attacks on mail carriers, with 35 reports. Houston topped with list with 62.

USPS says that nationwide last year, 5,669 of its employees were attacked in more than 1,400 cities by mankind's supposed best friend.

misteraitch

Control your dogs.

​The carriers get injured, the mail doesn't get delivered on time, dogs get maced or get a visit from animal control -- everyone suffers because of out-of-control dogs.

And lest anyone is left with the impression that its only thinking of itself, the postal service also points out that 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs annually, with kids suffering the most attacks.

And since we're coming up on National Dog Bite Awareness Week next week, USPS has some pointers for how to stop Fido from mistaking the mail carrier for a meal.

They're all pretty obvious: Spend a little time and effort actually training your dog; keep your bad-attitude canine chained up or locked in the house when the carrier comes by; and get the wee beastie spayed or neutered.

[Read more here.]

Here are the Top 10 cities for dog attacks:

1. Houston, 62 attacks

2. Columbus and San Diego, 45 each

3. Los Angeles, 44

4. Louisville, KY, 40

5. San Antonio and St. Louis, 39

6. Cleveland and Phoenix, 38

7. Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon, 35

8. Denver and Philadelphia, 31

9. Sacramento, California, 30

10. Seattle, 28