The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently observed Dog Bite Awareness Month, and its press release included a surprising fact for residents of Wisconsin’s biggest city. USPS reports that there were more than 5,200 dog attacks on mail carriers last year, including 20 right in Milwaukee. That’s the same number as there were in Philadelphia, a city with almost three times Milwaukee’s population.
USPS’s 2026 Campaign, By the Numbers
Thankfully, the roughly 5,200 dog attacks on mail carriers last year represented a substantial decline over the previous year, when there were more than 6,000 attacks. However, USPS points out that considerable work remains to prevent dog bites and protect its employees, particularly in cities where attacks are common. The top 20 cities for dog attacks on mail carriers last year were as follows:
- Los Angeles ‒ 70
- Dallas ‒50
- Denver ‒ 45
- Houston, 44
- Chicago ‒ 43
- St. Louis ‒ 40
- Indianapolis ‒ 35
- San Diego ‒ 32
- San Antonio ‒ 31
- Cleveland and Kansas City, MO ‒ 30
- Cincinnati and Minneapolis- 29
- Oakland and Phoenix- 27
- Columbus, OH ‒ 26
- Detroit, 24
- Louisville, KY ‒ 23
- Memphis, TN, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, and Sacramento ‒ 21
- Fort Worth TX; Long Beach, CA; Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and Portland, OR ‒ 20
Is a Wisconsin Dog Owner Liable for a Dog Bite?
As USPS notes, there are practical reasons for dog owners to protect the people who bring them their mail. The cost of a dog attack can quickly rise into the thousands of dollars and beyond in medical expenses alone, and even more if a victim files a personal injury claim.
Furthermore, Wis. Stat. § 174.02 generally holds dog owners strictly liable for injuries caused by their dogs. Strict liability means that an owner is responsible regardless of how carefully they trained or handled their dog.
This rule is tougher on owners than the “one-bite” rule that many states follow, which requires a dog bite victim to prove that the dog’s owner should have known about the dog’s aggressive behavior because it had attacked someone else in the past. In other words, it takes “one bite” to put a dog owner on notice that they need to take extra precautions to prevent their pet from hurting someone.
Importantly, a variation of the one-bite rule exists in Wisconsin regarding the amount of compensation a dog bite victim may receive for their injuries. Specifically, an owner owes a victim double damages if they had previously been notified or aware that their dog had previously bitten someone hard enough to break the skin or cause permanent scarring or disfigurement.
What to Do If You’re Bitten by a Dog in Wisconsin
If you’re ever bitten by a dog in Milwaukee, what you do next is of critical importance to your health and legal rights. If you are able, take as many of the following steps as possible to protect yourself:
- Document the scene of the attack with photos of the dog, the area, and any visible injuries.
- Get the owner’s contact and homeowners insurance information, if available.
- Seek medical attention immediately. Some dog bites result in dangerous infections.
- Report the incident to the police or your local animal control office.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the owner’s insurance company.
Finally, contact an experienced dog bite lawyer for guidance on your right to seek fair compensation.
How the Experienced Dog Bite Attorneys at LawtonCates Can Help
At LawtonCates, we’re committed to protecting dog attack victims in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin. Whether you’re a postal worker or just out walking in your neighborhood, you have rights, and we can help you assert them. We’ve achieved meaningful case results in dog bite claims for previous clients, including:
- $400,000 ‒ Dog bite trial verdict
- $300,000 ‒ Insurance settlement for dog bite injury
- $287,500 ‒ Settlement for the victim of a dog attack
- $150,000 ‒ Settlement for a client after a dog bite
While past outcomes cannot guarantee future results, they speak to our tenacity on behalf of our clients and our knowledge of dog bite accident claims. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a dog bite injury lawyer in Milwaukee. There’s no fee unless we win your case.
