Royal Mail urges owners to control their dogs as number of serious attacks on postal workers rises

Royal Mail are urging pet owners to control their dogs after new figures show a sharp increase in attacks on postal workers.

Almost 2,500 dog attacks on postmen and women in the last 12 months have resulted in serious and permanent injury and “could have easily ended in fatalities” according to a union official.

Some 2,484 separate incidents were reported in 2018-19 – a 9% year-on-year rise – amounting to nearly 50 attacks per week.

Royal Mail warned “even the most placid animal can be prone to attack if it feels it, or its territory, is being threatened”.

In the last year, 35% of dog attacks on postal workers happened at the front door or in the garden, the report said.

Some incidents ended in serious and permanent injury, with one postwoman describing blood seeping through her trousers after she was bitten on the leg while doing her rounds.

Tina O’Toole, a postwoman of three years from Warrington, needed hospital treatment, a skin flap graft, and physiotherapy after she was bitten.

She said: “Once I had delivered the mail I turned to leave the premises when I heard the dog barking and running up behind me. As I was attempting to get through the gate I felt pain to my right calf.

““It would have been much worse if I was wearing shorts. Neighbours called the ambulance and I was rushed to hospital.

“I’d just ask customers, please don’t have your dog loose in the garden when we are on our rounds.

“Owners are responsible for their dogs – no matter where there are. Owners often say their dogs won’t bite but there is no guarantee. Any dog can become aggressive and attack.”

Last year, an attack on a postman in Paisley, Scotland, meant he was unable to work for three months because of the attack.

The owner was later prosecuted in the courts.

Royal Mail say attacks rise during the school holidays and in the summer months when parents and children are at home with dogs sometimes allowed unsupervised in the garden or out onto the streets without restraints.

They are now appealing to dog owners to ensure they understand the impact of dog attacks on postmen and women who are only doing their job.

Communication Workers Union health and safety spokesperson Dave Joyce said: “Dog-owning customers are failing in their responsibility to postal workers by simply securing their dogs before opening the door.

“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.

“Taking simple precautions can prevent the pain for everyone concerned. Put the dog away in a secure room before opening the door to collect and sign for deliveries.”

Royal Mail have now issued guidance to owners to prevent further attacks.

Advice includes giving your dog some food to occupy them while mail is being delivered and shutting their pet in a a secure room when the postman comes knocking and  “wait 10 minutes after mail has arrived to let your pet back into your hallway”.