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A Staffordshire postman was “scarred for life” by an aggressive dog that bit his finger as he put letters through a letterbox.
He is one of dozens of postal workers attacked by dogs on their rounds, according to union health and safety rep Andy Hickerman.
The Communication Workers Union rep, who covers Staffordshire, has also told Burton Live of an Akita dog that kept waiting to attack another postie.
One worker was suddenly bitten by a previously well-behaved dog she had known for eight years without any problems, while a colleague was targeted by a dog on the street as the animal charged into the front garden of the house he was delivering to.
Mr Hickerman, 46, was speaking after new High Court rules came into force that could see owners jailed for five years if their animal attacks a Royal Mail postman through a letterbox.
He said: “One guy I know was scarred for life when a dog bit him on the hand and he was badly scarred. His fingernail still won’t grow back five years later.
“It happened in 2015 in the north of the county when he put his finger through a letterbox and a silent dog was the other side and bit his finger.
“There was another case elsewhere in the county where an Akita was consistently attacking a postman outside someone else’s house.
“It wasn’t even the house where it lived, but it waited there and attacked him.
“It caused a real problem for that customer in terms of their deliveries.
“Owners should always make sure their dogs are restrained, where possible.
(Image: Andy Hickerman)
“Some people think a dog’s restrained because it’s on a lead, but if it’s an extendable lead, it just doesn’t work.
“I remember one instance where a postie was delivering to a house and a dog on a lead walked past on the street.
“He bolted for the postman on the extendable lead and just bit him.
“One woman delivered to the same house every day for years and knew this dog since it was a puppy. It never gave her any trouble.
“Then, suddenly, when it was eight or nine years old, it turned round and bit her.
“It doesn’t matter how well you think you know a dog – whether you’re the owner or not.
“If a dog senses a threat, it’ll do whatever it can to defend its home and its owner.
“You hear so often when these things happen ‘oh – he’s never done this before’.”
(Image: Andy Hickerman)
Mr Hickerman had to get a tetanus jab after being bitten on his rounds in North Staffordshire when he was a postie.
He said: “It was a little Yorkshire terrier just sitting outside by the door and didn’t even acknowledge me as I approached the house.
“It was only a small dog, but turned out to be really aggressive and had really sharp teeth.
“I sized him up and thought there was no threat there, but as soon as I opened the letterbox he just ran at me and sunk his teeth into my leg.
“Panic set in and I was desperately thinking how I could get him away from me. It was extremely painful and drew blood.
“Fortunately, I had my post bag and was able to wedge it between us and he ran off.
“I was extremely shaken afterwards and had to stem the bleeding and go to hospital to get a tetanus jab.
“This was in the Newcastle under Lyme area years ago.”
(Image: Andy Hickerman)
A new clarification of the Dangerous Dogs Act – made in the High Court – could see prosecutions for owners who do not take steps to stop their dogs biting posties’ finger through letter boxes – whether they are home or not.
The clarification was made in a case brought by the Royal Mail after a postman lost his fingertip in a dog attack.
The owner had left the dog, which had never injured anyone before, alone at their house.
Mr Hickerman said: “You know it’s possible that it’s going to happen, but when you walk the same route every day, it’s a fear that is very much pushed to the back of your mind.
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“For some reason, lots of dogs see postmen and women as a threat – it’s a bit bizarre really.
“I get reports of bites coming across my desk every day and it’s a real cause for concern.
“We’ve had many that have genuinely traumatised posties and forced them into a position where they can’t continue and resign.
“There’s always that joke about the postman being chased by the dog and people think it’s funny, but posties always have that fear in the back of their minds.”
