Dog owners warned their post could be suspended if they don’t do one thing

Royal Mail has urged dog owners to notify their posties of their four-legged friends as more than 2,000 workers were savaged by unruly pets in the past year.

The postal service is appealing directly to owners to “please help us protect your postie” after some postal workers suffered life-changing injuries.

The postal service has also warned that if your dog is running loose outside your home, your mail could be “suspended” – meaning posties will no long attend.

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Dog owners are also being urged to ensure they “never open the door to a postie when your dog is not secured away”. It’s also a good idea for households with dogs to consider letter cages or outside post boxes, to avoid bites through the letterbox.

Kirsteen Hobson, who has worked as a postwoman for 10 years, fell victim to a ferocious dog attack resulting in considerable injuries to her face. Recounting her ordeal, Kirsteen said: “The gentleman I was delivering to was standing, kind of half hanging, outside his door.

“I got about two thirds of the way and next thing I know there’s a dog on my face and it ripped my lip off. I didn’t see the dog come at me, my first view of the dog was when it was attached to my face.

“Somehow I managed to get the dog off me, and then it lunged at my face again, biting me under the eye and on my forehead.

“I somehow got the dog off me again and I turned around to get away from it, and it sunk its teeth into my leg, into my thigh”. She said the traumatic experience continues to impact “every aspect of my life”.

Kirsteen continued: “It’s not something that I’d like anyone else to experience, which is why I wanted to share this so it hopefully doesn’t happen [again], it can be prevented.”

Dog owners may receive a postcard from the Royal Mail containing advice for securing their dog before opening the door to receive parcels.

The postcard, which can be seen on the Royal Mail website, reads: “Hi, I’m your postie and I know just how important receiving your letters and parcels can be. I know you could be waiting for something important, like a hospital appointment, a birthday card, or an important gift.

“My job is to get these items to you safely and I’m hoping that you can help me with that. I wanted to share some information with you.

“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.

“Can I please ask for your support so that this doesn’t happen, and I can get home safely to my family today? I know that you love your dog and I also want to make sure your dog is kept safe whilst I deliver your post. By following the advice below, then together we can make sure that your dog is kept safe, and I am too.

“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!

“You can stick the other side of this postcard to your door to remind others to wait too. PS did you know you can now buy gates that open with your front door!

“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. 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. If you can install a letter box cage at the back of your door it will protect your post, your dog, and the postie’s fingers.

“Provide an alternative delivery point. If you are struggling to do any of the above, then please consider fitting a secure mailbox on the edge of your property that I can deliver safely to.”

The website also offers a downloadable postcard that people can print out and display in their door or window. It reads: “I have a dog. Please wait while I secure my dog before opening the door.”