Posties' warning over 'unacceptable' dog attacks
Seven Royal Mail workers injured by uncontrolled pets every day
Britain's posties are biting back over the "unacceptable" number of unfriendly dogs attacking them on their daily rounds.
Royal Mail is launching its fifth annual Dog Awareness Week, reminding owners to keep their pets under control or face prosecution after figures revealed an average of seven postmen and women are attacked each day.
Although that figure represents a slight drop of seven per cent from last year, the overall trend is still "disturbingly high", says Metro.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The panicked postie fleeing down the garden path with a snarling mutt snapping at his heels may be an old comedy trope, but in real life, such incidents are no joke.
Dr Shaun Davis, health and safety chief at Royal Mail, said the figures were "unacceptable " and warned that several of the 14,500 attacks reported over the last five years had led to "extremely serious and life-changing injuries".
Urging dog owners to keep their pets under control, he added: "Our postmen and women need to be able to deliver the service they provide to communities across the UK, without the risk of injury."
An amendment to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 introduced in May 2014 expanded the legislation to cover private property as well as public spaces, giving postal workers in England and Wales more protection if they are attacked in a garden or on a doorstep while making a delivery.
Owners found to have allowed their dog to become dangerously out of control on private property now face a hefty fine or up to five years in prison if someone is injured as a result. A fatal mauling could result in a 14-year prison sentence.
Seventy per cent of incidents occurred in homeowners' gardens or on the doorstep, Dave Joyce, safety officer of the Communication Workers Union, and many could be easily prevented.
"It just needs owners to restrict their animals access to the front garden or to put their dog in another room before opening the door to collect a parcel or sign for an item," he said.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'United States of Anxiety'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Langdale Chase Hotel: a cosy nook in the Lake District
The Week Recommends This Victorian villa has breathtaking views and expansive gardens
By Natasha Langan Published
-
Orkney's war on stoats
In the Spotlight A coordinated stoat cull on the Scottish islands has proved successful – and conservationists aren't slowing down
By Abby Wilson Published
-
Street without post for six months after dog bite
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Royal Mail set for Christmas strike chaos
Speed Read More woe for beleaguered postal service, which is battling slumping letter volumes and boardroom upheaval
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Can anything halt Royal Mail’s decline?
Speed Read Bigger than expected decline in letters volume sends shares tumbling 18%
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
When are the last post dates for Christmas 2019?
Speed Read Don't miss the deadlines for sending your cards and parcels
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Royal Mail at 500: Five facts about the postal service
In Depth With special events planned to mark the anniversary, here are some stories from its unusual history
By The Week Staff Published