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Royal Mail has urged people to follow a ‘ten-minute rule’ to safeguard postal workers this Christmas
With the Christmas countdown now in full swing, it’s an incredibly hectic period for Royal Mail and postal workers. From festive greetings cards to eleventh-hour Christmas gifts, countless households will be anticipating plenty of deliveries over the next few weeks.
For pet-owning households, it’s crucial to implement safety measures before postal workers turn up to guarantee the wellbeing of both the worker and your beloved animal. As the Royal Mail website emphasises: “Even the most lovable dog can be a danger to postal workers”.
It continues: “Dogs are territorial by nature and if they feel they need to protect their family, they can become unpredictable.” Consequently, the postal delivery service has encouraged pet owners to adhere to a ‘rule’ to ensure their dog remains secure and away from harm when their mail is delivered.
Thankfully, Royal Mail has outlined various recommendations that households can implement to streamline the process and safeguard postal workers. Initially, dog owners are encouraged to restrain their pet before anyone approaches the entrance, reports the Mirror.
“Ensure your dog is out of the way before the postman or postwoman arrives,” it states. “Place your pet in the back garden or a faraway room,” Royal Mail advised. “Never open the door when your dog is behind you.”
The delivery service clarified: “Dog attacks can happen when you’ve opened the door to sign for an item. Please keep your dog in another room before answering the door and make sure children don’t open the door, as dogs can push by them and attack.”
Pet owners can provide their dog with a toy or some treats to keep them busy whilst the post is being delivered.
Finally, it’s recommended to wait for ten minutes before allowing the dog back into the hallway.
“Wait ten minutes after your mail has arrived to let your pet back into your hallway”, Royal Mail stated.
“Keep everything as calm and low-key as possible.”
The website also provides a customer postcard that dog owners can download and put up in their window, informing people they have a dog and requesting they wait whilst the owner secures the pet before answering the door.
Whilst these suggestions might assist some householders, not everyone may find it feasible to keep their dog away from the entrance. In such cases, Royal Mail asks people to think about installing a letterbox.
The guidance states: “If your dog likes to attack your mail, consider installing a wire letter receptacle.
“It will protect your post, and your postman’s or postwoman’s fingers.
“If it’s not practical for you to keep your dog away from a postman or postwoman delivering your mail, please consider fitting a secure mailbox on the edge of your property.”
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