North Carolina Ranks Among Top 10 Dog Bite States

It's the age old cliche of the mail carrier vs. the dog on the route who doesn't care for the mail carrier. So, it makes sense the U.S. Postal Service published the study listing the Top 10 Dog Bite States.

According to about.usps.com, dog attacks involving Postal Service employees soared to more than 5800 cases in 2023. And, this state by state information is part of the USPS 2024 National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign.

The weeklong campaign just began, and part of that awareness is alerting workers and customers to states with potentially higher incidents and how to curb them. This year's theme is 'Don't let your dog bite the hand that serves you.'

In looking at the top 10 dog bite states list, North Carolina ranks at number 8. In 2023, North Carolina reported 185 dog bites, up from 146 in 2022. Now, what we don't know for sure is are these incidents in general or just involving postal workers?

To put it in perspective, California ranks number 1 with 727 dog bites last year. And, the last state on the list, Missouri, reported 180 last year.

Let me say I am a dog person all the way. I hesitantly admit I may or may not follow several dog accounts on social media. Those adorable videos and FaceTime calls to Dad to report Mom are what gets me through the day.

And, as a dog owner I always made sure to be responsible and protect both the dog and anyone encountering him. Although, he was a snuggly Cockapoo whose only crime was begging for extra treats.

In fact, any delivery or postal workers who met my dog usually offered him treats. And, my little one typically tried to jump into their truck for a ride!

But, the postal service offers plenty of tips for keeping everyone safe. They suggest ensuring your dog is in the house or behind a fence when mail is being delivered. Or, keep dogs on a leash if outside.

They also remind owners not to let children take mail directly from the carrier, as a dog may perceive the postal worker as a threat to the child. I hadn't thought of that one. But, most of the reminders are pretty common sense.

So, for the entire list of top 10 dog bite states and more advice on curbing problems see the full article about the newly launched campaign.

Five of the most dog-friendly restaurants in America are in North Carolina. Listen I love dogs. I really do. And I'm on board (if your dog can handle it and is happy) for taking dogs to places like breweries. Perhaps even somewhere with an outdoor patio to eat. But I'm a little more hazy on that one. But what I saw this weekend in Blowing Rock, was two different dogs one in a stroller and the other just laying under the table, inside in a restaurant. I'm sorry the line has to be drawn somewhere. Your dog will be ok at home for an hour by themselves. These were not service animals, just dogs that were accompanying their owners to dine inside a sit-down restaurant.

I get it. When my dog was alive I did wish I could take him everywhere. He loved to go to the drive threw, the bank,  or a pet-friendly store like Petsmart. But I never took him into a general store and certainly never to a restaurant. And in all honesty, he would have been miserable at a restaurant. He hated sitting still in a new place, would have been trying to eat everyone's food, and the heat outside would have bothered him as well. But despite my personal feelings about taking your dog out to eat, numerous people do it. This is what led Yelp to create a list of the most dog-friendly restaurants in America. And not one, not two, but 5 North Carolina restaurants made the list.

Here's how Yelp says the list was curated: "We identified businesses in the restaurants and food categories with a large concentration of reviews mentioning "dog friendly," then ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning those keywords between June 1, 2020, and June 1, 2023. If a chain appeared on the list more than once, we only included the highest-rated location. When available, all businesses on this list have a passing health score as of June 1, 2023." You can view the full list of 100 restaurants here or keep reading to see the 5 top dog-friendly restaurants in North Carolina.

Location: Asheville, NC

Sunny Point Cafe is a popular comfort food spot in West Asheville. It has over 2360 reviews on Yelp and a 4.5 star rating. They are open for breakfast and lunch. View the menu here.

Location: Old Fort

Just down the road in Old Fort North Carolina you'll find the second NC restaurant on this list- Hillman Beer. There are actually locations not only in Old Fort but in Asheville and Morganton as well. This small family-owned business brings "the pub style to a brewery experience". It boasts a large outdoor patio with picnic tables perfect for bringing your pup. View the menu here.

Location: Asheville

Asheville does have a reputation as being very dog friendly. And this next spot also stays in Asheville. You'll find Funkatorium in the South Slope of Asheville. It is owned by popular Wicked Weed Brewing and is the East Coast’s first sour beer dedicated taproom. And like most breweries, Funkatorium is dog friendly. View the menu here.

Location: Charlotte

One of my favorite spots in Charlotte Brewers at 4001 Yancey is a joint venture between Southern Tier, Sixpoint, Victory Brewing Company and Bold Rock Cidery. Located in LoSo they have a huge outdoor space perfect for dogs, a wide variety of beer, seltzers, ciders, cocktails, and delicious food. Plus there is parking which in Charlotte is always a bonus! View the menu here.

Location: Waynesville

In downtown Waynesville, you'll find Boojum Brewing. This taproom located in the shadow of the picturesque Smoky Mountains features delicious seasonal pub fare, a rotating menu of 16 house-brewed beers, as well as wine and cocktails. View the menu here.