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THE number of dog attacks on postal workers have fell by a third for staff working in South Cumbria.
According to figures by the Royal Mail, attacks in the LA postcode area have decreased from nine in 2017/18 down to six in 2018/19, a reduction of 33% year on year.
A spokesperson from the Royal Mail, said: “Whilst we welcome any reduction in dog attacks in local areas, even one dog attack is one too many.
“So we still encourage dog owners to help us to deliver their mail safely to them.”
Although there has been reduction in attacks through South Cumbria, there were 2,484 dog attacks have taken place on postmen and women across the UK in 2018/19, which shows a nine per cent rise compared with the previous year.
This equates to around 47 attacks every week in the country, with some leading to a permanent and disabling injury.
Dr Shaun Davis, Royal Mail Group Global Director of Safety, Health, Wellbeing & Sustainability said: “With 2,484 dog attacks having taken place on our postmen and women across the UK in the last year, the issue of dog attacks remains a real concern for us all at Royal Mail – a business that values its people enormously.
“The number of attacks still remains unacceptably high – over a six-day working week this top line figure equates to seven attacks per day. What is concerning is that the number of dog attacks on postmen and women has risen across the country by 9%, compared with the previous year. In several postcode areas the number of attacks has risen sharply, for example in three of our postcode areas attacks have more than trebled.
Dog owners need to be even more vigilant.”
CWU National Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce said: “Animals remain a major concern for postal workers and the public.
“The number of attacks has risen, with yearly hospital admissions for dog bites increasing by 80% over the last decade.
“Seven postal workers are attacked by dogs every working day of the year which is unacceptable.
“As our members deliver more parcels, express, tracked and signed-for deliveries as a result of booming internet sales, dog owning customers are failing in their responsibility to postal workers by simply securing their dogs before opening the door.
“As a result, too many dog attacks occur, with 82% of these on the doorstep or garden path.
“This must stop – we want dog owners to work with us and support postal workers who they rely on to deliver their goods.
“For those who act irresponsibly, we need the police and courts to clamp down on bad ownership using the full force of the law.
“These people must be held to account for the often devastating and life changing injuries sustained by postmen and women which are becoming all too familiar.
“Worryingly there were a number of very serious dog attacks on postal workers in both Royal Mail delivery and Parcelforce delivery over this past year, some of which could easily have ended in fatalities, if it wasn’t for the intervention of the owners and good Samaritans.”
