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A Royal Mail worker has issued a desperate plea to all dog owners after being ‘run up on’ by untrained or overexcited pets. In an open letter on social media, she shared how she has become anxious to do her job because she’s worried she’ll end up being injured by a stranger’s dog.
She said on Reddit: “I don’t know if I’ve just had a run of bad luck but [the number of] people who are rubbish at controlling their dogs seem to be on the rise on my walk. Every day I’m having to ask more people to put their dog away before answering the door, even had a customer call me a weirdo today for saying something about it.
“It’s seriously affecting my ability to enjoy the job as of late, I feel on edge for alot of my shift.”
According to Royal Mail, more than 2,200 pets attacked postal workers last year, an increase of 15% over the past 12 months to 31 March 2024. A statement reads: “The figure equates to an average of 42 attacks every week across the UK, with some leading to permanent and disabling injuries.
“Highest-risk locations were the PO (Portsmouth) and BT (Belfast) postcode areas where 62 postmen or women suffered dog attacks in both locations, followed jointly by the BS (Bristol) and BN (Brighton) postcode areas with 48 attacks. The third most dangerous place for attacks, with 44 reports, is the PL (Plymouth) postcode area.”
There were 389 injuries suffered through the letterbox – accounting for 18% of attacks on postal workers. Letterbox attacks were the subject of a 2020 High Court ruling that stated dog owners (or those in care of a dog) can be prosecuted if their pets have free access to the letterbox and cause injury to any delivery operative, whether the owner is at home or not.
Commenting on her post, one fellow postal worker said: “Walk away, mark their mail/packets, unsafe dog. And customers, there is no need to [apologise] for making me wait while you shut the dog in the kitchen behind a closed door. It’s appreciated and, thank you.”
Another user added: “I can understand that. I had a large dog, but he was not able to access the hallway or front door (bad at stairs). He did bark at the front window though. I got a warning letter from RM about keeping my dog under control as they would stop delivering. My dog had been deceased for eight months.”
A third user said: “A little sticker attached to one of the offending property owners letters letting them know about this, might encourage them to make it safer for their postie. I wasn’t actually aware of the post office policy, but I think it’s a good one.”
One more user added: “Ive been bitten once, about five or six years ago, on the ankle. It was sore. Im with you, there definitely seems to be a lot more dogs now than there was when I first started 10 years ago.
“You will obviously know the company policy on loose dogs on a property but i use my own initiative. Most are fine but its the owners who do my head in. The ones that open the door holding the dog back with a leg or have it by the collar whilst struggling with one hand on the door.
“I had a dog for 17 years. I understand they can be defensive and territorial but why not do what I did when I had a dog and someone was at the door. Put it in the living room or the kitchen and shut the door. Property owners need to be aware that its the policy of Royal Mail to see that any dog that bites is put to sleep and the owners prosecuted. Over 1000 posties and delivery persons are bitten each year.”
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