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Data released by Royal Mail has revealed the level of dog attacks on postal workers across the country.
The S postcode which covers most of South Yorkshire including Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley, came top of the list as the startling figures show there were over 1,600 attacks on posties last year. Royal Mail has announced there were 1,673 dog attacks reported on its staff last year, an average of 32 attacks every week across the UK, with some leading to permanent and disabling injuries.
Royal Mail is appealing to dog owners to ensure they understand the often devastating impact of dog attacks on postmen and postwomen. They are asking that people take proper measures to ensure their pets pose no threat to postal workers through responsible dog ownership.
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The South Yorkshire postcode had the most incidents reported in 2022, with 51 postal workers suffering dog attacks. The S postcode area had most incidents reported during the year, with 51 postmen or postwomen suffering dog attacks. This figure is down from 55 in 2020/21– a decrease of 7%. The S postcode area has appeared in every one of the Top 10 lists for dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers since the first Dog Awareness Week in 2013.
If a dog attacks a worker, owners can be prosecuted wether they are home or not. In May 2017, a Royal Mail postman lost the tip of his finger while delivering to a customer’s address. In October 2021 the dog owner was sentenced to a 12-month community order, 150 hours of unpaid work, £1,000 in costs to Royal Mail, a victim surcharge of £85, and a suspended destruction order was placed on the dog.
Dogs can be legally destroyed if a worker is severely injured. Royal Mail has carried out over 30 private prosecutions against dog owners.
The company continues to push for changes in the law to reflect the severity of the attacks to protect their workers.
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