Royal Mail / Communication Workers Union Dog Awareness Week 3-7 July 2017 – 3,000 Postmen and Women Attacked By Dogs Every Year – 7 Every Day!

For immediate release
23rd June 2017

Royal Mail / Communication Workers Union Dog Awareness Week 3-7 July 2017 – 3,000 Postmen and Women Attacked By Dogs Every Year – Seven Every Day!

Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union are launching their annual dog awareness week 3 – 7 July. As the UK school break for their summer holidays, families enjoy the summer weather, which is good news for them but BAD NEWS FOR POSTAL WORKERS as this signals what Posties know as the dog-bite season’ and the time of the year which traditionally sees a big spike in the number of attacks. Royal Mail and postal workers trade union the CWU will be campaigning again to raise public awareness and urge customers to be responsible dog owners as well as urge caution amongst postmen and women who want to provide a good service but sometimes pay a heavy price.

CWU National Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce said: “Seven postal workers are attacked by dogs every day of the year. It is unacceptable and the whole idea of Dog Awareness Week is to highlight the problem and the repercussions for dog owners and the victims, many of whom are seriously injured and some can not return to mail delivery work”.

“Over 70% of Dog Attacks on Postmen and Women occur on the garden path or at the doorstep of the dog owners home.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.”

“Customers are always pleased to see the Postman or Postwoman arrive as they’re eager to take delivery of their goods they’ve ordered and paid for on the internet but thousands of customers who own a dog unfortunately don’t give a second thought to the Postal Worker’s safety by putting the dog in a safe, secure place.”

“The vast majority of our customers and their dogs aren’t a problem but irresponsible and reckless dog owners are.”

“The new dog control laws now identify and penalises irresponsible dog owners and many are now facing prosecution and paying heavy court penalties and end up withcriminal records. So it’s in their best interest in more ways than one to make sure the dog don’t bite the Postman.”

“One Essex dog owner was recently fined £8,800 after his dog injured a Postwoman’s fingers as she put letters through the door – which is another problem Postal workers face!”

“The penalties can also include losing their dogs, being banned from dog ownership, paying compensation and even a Jail sentence.”

“Dog owners need to fully understand that their actions usually are the cause of a dog being dangerous and simple precautions can prevent the pain for everyone concerned. No matter what breed ofdog is involved, the dog can present a substantial danger to postal workers.”

Top tips for dog owners to help the postman or woman deliver the post in safety:

Keep your dog indoors around the time that the postman calls to deliver mail.
Before you opened the door to collect a parcel or sign for an item – put your dog in another room.
Make sure children don’t open the door, as dogs can push by them and attack the postman.
If you have a back garden, close off the access, so your dog can’t get round to the front when the postman calls.
If your dog attacks the mail and could bite a postman’s fingers as he puts mail through your letterbox, please fit a letter box cage.
If it’s not practical for you to keep your dog away from a postman delivering your mail, consider fitting a secure mailbox on the edge of your property.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

  • The Communications Workers Union (CWU) is the biggest Trade Union in the communications industry with 195,000 members in post, telecoms, mobile and financial services companies including Royal Mail, Post Office, BT Group, EE, O2 and Santander.

For interview/further comment please contact:
Charlie Pullinger, CWU Press Officer 020 8971 7267 / 07793 314 249 /cpullinger@cwu.org