Yes, your mail can be stopped if your neighbor's dog bites the mailman

The United States Postal Service is warning Iowa residents of the consequences if a postal carrier is bitten by a dog.

Iowans received fliers in the mail this week that depict images of postmen and women being bitten or attacked by aggressive looking dogs.

On the front, the flier reads:

Don't let your dog be the reason mail and/or packages are not delivered to your neighborhood.

But can that really happen? The short answer is yes.

Kristy Anderson, spokesperson for USPS, said every situation is reviewed based on the severity of the bite and how mail is delivered to the particular neighborhood — specifically if it's in an urban or rural setting.

But if a dog bites a mail carrier, that could mean mail delivery will stop to you and your neighbors.

"Safety of our carriers is super important," she said. "We will temporarily hold mail until we can get the situation remedied just so we don’t put our carriers in danger."

In those situations, USPS will work with homeowners to find a solution like providing a centralized mailbox, moving boxes closer to the curb, or stopping signed package delivery, she said. They will work with the dog owner to find a solution first before stopping mail to neighbors, she said.

In Portland, Oregon, mail service was stopped to 10 neighbors after one of the homeowner's dogs attacked a mailman. According to KATU, USPS resumed mail delivery after the homeowner built a fence and everyone moved their mailboxes to the curb.

The fliers were sent in recognition of National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Nearly 6,300 postal employees were attacked by dogs nationwide in 2017, according to USPS statistics. Iowa had 122 attacks. Cedar Rapids had the highest number with 14, and Des Moines had the second highest with 9.

As of April 4 this year, there have been 64 cases of dog attacks in the state.

Small children, the elderly and letter carriers are the most frequent victim of dog bites, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"It's the time of year that dogs are outside and playing," Anderson said. "We just want to have the awareness out there and to let (people) know our carriers will be at risk if (dogs) are out running around, even if you think they won’t bite."

This is the first time USPS has sent warnings related to dog bites, though the organization does regularly send out public awareness campaigns through the mail.