Dog Awareness Week

Our Dog Awareness week runs from 25-30 June. The week aims to raise awareness of the issue of dog attacks on postmen and women and encourage responsible dog ownership including tips for dog owners.

An astonishing 2,275 dog attacks have taken place on postmen and women across the UK in 2017-18. This means there are more than 44 attacks every week in the country, with some attacks leading to a permanent and disabling injury.

And while the overall number of UK attacks has reduced in the last year by 8%, disappointingly in some postcode areas, attacks are increasing.

In the TQ postcode alone, attacks on postmen and women are up over 400%. This is followed by the SK postcode (75%), OL (73%), AL (67%) and SL (63%).

As we launch our sixth successive Dog Awareness week, we are appealing to dog owners to ensure they understand the impact of dog attacks on postmen and women who are only doing their job.

Royal Mail knows that dogs are not inherently dangerous, but, even the most placid animal can be prone to attack if it feels it or its territory is being threatened.

Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety of our people who provide a valuable service to our customers across the length and breadth of the UK and in every community.

Last year, an attack on a colleague in Paisley, Scotland, meant he was unable to work for three months. The owner was later prosecuted.

Alan Quinn, a postman for 10 years, from Paisley was delivering to a house with a German Shepherd when he was attacked and bitten on his arm, which required hospital treatment and physiotherapy.

‘I had been delivering there for over 10 years and the dog was never a problem but on this day, it got out and jumped on me at the external postbox and bit and tore into my arm and I was screaming for help covered in blood,’ said Alan. ‘The owner then took me to hospital. I never for a moment expected it.

‘I’m not on the route anymore but I am very wary of dogs now more than before. I’d just ask customers, please keep your dog away from the door, don’t have it loose in the garden when we are all on our rounds.’

Shaun Davis, director of safety, health, wellbeing and sustainability, said: ‘One attack is still one attack too many. Our research continues to show that attacks happen most often in the summer, so we are continuing our campaign to appeal to customers to help us cut attacks across the UK.

‘I am pleased that the overall dog attacks numbers continue to fall, but I am still very concerned that in some postcodes attacks are on the increase. I am appealing to dog owners to think twice when the postman calls. 

‘Dog attacks have a devastating effect on our people and on our customers and we hope we can make a further impact in these areas. We will also be rolling out new interactive training for our people in the hotspot areas to try and help us to do that.

‘But people should remember that 82% of attacks happen at the front door or in the garden so this is not just a Royal Mail issue, many other delivery, and utility companies and local authorities face the same problem.’