According to a list released by the U.S. Postal Service, San Diego ranks as the No. 2 city in the nation for dog attacks to postal employees.
On Thursday, the USPS reported that 68 postal workers were attacked in San Diego last year out of nearly 5,600 postal employees nationwide.
Their ranking of the top 25 cities for dog attacks to letter carriers was topped by Los Angeles in the No. 1 spot, followed by San Diego, Houston, Cleveland and Dallas.
Additional cities that made the list include San Antonio, Texas, Phoenix, Ariz., and Denver, Colo.
The rankings were released to kick off National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which runs May 19-25.
The USPS has released a few tips to help curb dog attacks, including:
• Don’t run past a dog. The dog’s natural instinct is to chase and catch you.
• If a dog threatens you, don’t scream. Avoid eye contact. Try to remain motionless until the dog leaves, then back away slowly until the dog is out of sight.
• Never approach a strange dog, especially one that’s tethered or confined.
• Don’t disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies.
• Always let a dog see and sniff you before petting the animal.
• If you believe a dog is about to attack you, try to place something between yourself and the dog, such as a backpack or a bicycle.
• If you are knocked down by a dog, curl into a ball and protect your face with your hands.
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