Dog Awareness Week
In this week’s 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 and lovable animal can be a danger to colleagues on delivery.
Dogs are territorial by nature and if they feel they or their territory is being threatened or if they feel that they need to protect their family, they can become unpredictable and prone to attack.
Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety of our people who provide a valuable service to our customers in every community across the length and breadth of the UK.
Top tips for dog owners
- Ensure your dog is out of the way before the postman or woman arrives. Place your pet in the back garden or a faraway room
- If you have a back garden, please close off the access, in case your dog could get round to the front when the postman calls
- Dog attacks can happen when you’ve opened the door to sign for an item. Please keep your dog in another room before answering the door and make sure children don’t open the door, as dogs can push by them and attack
- Give your dog some food or a toy to occupy them while your mail is being delivered
- Wait 10 minutes after your mail has arrived to let your pet back into your hallway. Keep everything as calm and low-key as possible
- If your dog likes to attack your mail consider installing a wire letter receptacle. It will protect your post, and your postman’s fingers
- If it’s not practical for you to keep your dog away from a postman delivering your mail, please consider fitting a secure mailbox on the edge of your property
- Please ensure your dog is microchipped, wearing a collar and tag and that your contact details on the tag and microchip are up to date.
Please visit www.royalmail.com/dogawareness and www.royalmailgroup.com/dogs for more.
