Millions may want to put Royal Mail sign in windows

Royal Mail is urging people to display the sign

Royal Mail has encouraged certain customers to consider putting up a four-word notice, warning that failing to take appropriate action could lead to the company having to “suspend deliveries to your address.”

With Easter round the corner, which may mean additional deliveries for some households, it’s sensible for people to take action now. Figures released on the Royal Mail website on June 30, 2025, show that attacks on postal workers by dogs increased by 2% over the previous year, reaching 2,197 incidents. This equates to approximately 42 attacks each week nationwide, with some delivery personnel sustaining permanent or life-changing injuries.

To address this issue, Royal Mail is advocating simple measures that can safeguard its staff while maintaining uninterrupted delivery services. One straightforward solution is a four-word postcard reading “I have a dog.”

This printable sign alerts the delivery worker to wait while you secure your pet, giving you adequate time to contain them in another room. Postal workers will wait patiently for you to answer the door, reports the Daily Record

In communications sent to customers, Royal Mail recognised that while “receiving your letters and parcels” matters, its priority is “to get these items to you safely, and I’m hoping that you can help me with that.” The letter revealed a stark reality: “Around 2,000 posties like me are injured by dogs each year, both big and small. When this happens, we must inform the Police and suspend deliveries to your address, as we can’t take the chance that the dog may attack again.”.

In seeking public assistance, Royal Mail has said:

• Please don’t open the door until your dog is safely secured
• Please put them in another room or behind a gate first and don’t worry, I will wait!
• Close gates and doors to stop your dog getting loose.
• If you have a back or side garden, please make sure your dog can’t get out and gates and doors are closed
• Install a letter box cage as sometimes dogs attack or snatch mail from the letterbox and this can cause serious injuries to postie’s hands, including amputation of fingers, as well as causing injuries to the dog.
• Provide an alternative delivery point if you are struggling to do any of the above

High-risk areas across the UK

These postcode areas have recorded the highest number of dog attacks on postal workers.

• The S (Sheffield) postcode area saw a worrying 61% rise in dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers this year, a sharp reversal from an 18% fall the year before. A total of 66 attacks occurred in 2024/25, compared with 41 in 2023/24. The S postcode area has featured on every high-risk list since postcode-specific data was first recorded. This marks the fourth occasion it has topped the list as the most dangerous location for dog attacks.
• Dog attacks in the PO (Portsmouth) area showed a slight decrease from last year – with 60 attacks versus 62 for 2023/24 – representing a 3% reduction. The postcode area shared top spot for dangerous locations for dog attacks last year. The PO postcode area has appeared in the top high-risk areas for dog attacks for eight years running and nine times overall since Royal Mail started publishing attack statistics.
• The TN (Kent/Sussex/Surrey) postcode area saw a 33% rise in dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers this year, after a 35% fall in 2023/24. A total of 56 attacks were logged during the latest period, compared with 42 the year before. The TN postcode area has featured on the list of most hazardous areas for dog attacks for 11 straight years and was ranked as the most dangerous location for postal workers in 2023/24.
• This marks the second occasion the GU (Guildford) postcode area has appeared on the high-risk list since 19/20. The 54 attacks documented this year represent a 29% rise on last year’s 42 incidents. This is the sixth occasion the postcode area has featured on the most dangerous locations list for dog attacks since Royal Mail started reporting postcode-specific figures.
• The NG (Nottingham) postcode recorded 49 dog attacks on postal workers this year. This represents a 17% rise on the 42 attacks in 2023/24. This marks the fifth consecutive year that the NG postcode area has featured in the list of most dangerous locations for dog attacks – last year it was the 6th most unsafe location in the UK for dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers. The postcode area has appeared in the high-risk locations nine times since Royal Mail started reporting postcode-specific figures.
• The CM (Chelmsford) and BN (Brighton) postcode areas are the joint sixth highest-risk locations with 47 dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers documented in each location. The BN (Brighton) postcode area logged 47 dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers this year, a slight 2% decrease from the 48 incidents reported in 2023/24.
• This marks the ninth consecutive year the BN area has appeared on the high-risk list since Royal Mail began publishing location-specific data. It ranked fourth-highest in risk last year and was the most dangerous location for dog attacks in 2021.
• The CM (Chelmsford) postcode area has appeared on the high-risk list for dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers three times since location-specific data was first published. It was first listed in 2018/19, when 38 attacks were reported, and again in 2019/20 with 44 incidents.
• The BT (Belfast) and NE (Newcastle) postcode areas are jointly the seventh highest-risk locations with 45 dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers reported in each location. The BT (Belfast) postcode area saw a 27% drop in dog attacks this year compared to 62 incidents reported in 2023/24.
• Last year the postcode area was the second most dangerous place for attacks. The BT postcode area has appeared in every dog attack hot-spot list since Royal Mail began releasing location specific data in 2013. It has been the most dangerous location for attacks five times.
• This is the second time the SN (Swindon) postcode area has featured in the most high-risk locations. This year saw 44 attacks reported, a 10% increase on the 40 incidents in 2022/23.
• The DN (Doncaster) postcode area has made its debut on Royal Mail’s dog attack hot-spot list, the first time since location-specific data started being published in 2013. In the most recent reporting year, there were 42 recorded attacks on postal workers, a rise of 31% compared to the 32 incidents reported in 2023/24.
• The ST (Staffordshire) postcode area has also entered Royal Mail’s list of most dangerous areas for the first time. This year, 40 dog attacks on postal workers were reported, marking a 33% increase from the 30 incidents recorded in 2023/24.

Lizz Lloyd, Health and Safety Director at Royal Mail, said: “Dog attacks remain one of the most significant safety risks faced by postal workers. In many cases, these incidents result in serious injuries, emotional distress, and time away from work. Royal Mail continues to call on the public to be vigilant and responsible by securing their pets before opening the door to receive mail or packages.

“We continue to invest in safety training and awareness campaigns for both employees and the public, but emphasise that community cooperation is essential to reducing these incidents.”