Dog attacks on Halifax postal staff on the rise

Dog attacks on postal staff in Halifax have risen by 67 per cent as the Royal Mail aims to tackle the problem at the launch of its fourth Dog Awareness Week
PostmanPostman
Postman

Around 10 postmen and women were attacked across the HX postcode area by dogs from April 2015 to April 2016, up 67% on the previous year.

The campaign aims to further raise awareness of the issue of dog attacks on postmen and women and encourage responsible dog ownership.

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Rob Jenson, Operations Director for Royal Mail said: “We know that the overwhelming majority of dogs are friendly most of the time, however, even the most placid animal will defend itself if it feels 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.

“Our postmen and women deliver to over 29 million addresses across the country. We ask them to exercise caution and respect for all family members, including pets when delivering the mail. This summer, we are also appealing to dog owners and their families across the HX postcode area to help reduce the numbers of attacks, particularly at the door and in the garden.“

The number of attacks rises by 10% during the school holidays and in the summer months when parents and children are at home.

New research¹ released found that over a quarter (27%) of UK parents who own a dog confessed that their canine has been loose in the house when an exterior door (such as the front door) was open.

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In the last year, 36% of dog attacks on postal workers have happened at the front door while 35 per cent took place in the front garden– the equivalent to 1,888 attacks.

At these times, dogs are more likely to be unsupervised in the garden.

A poster will be on display in enquiry offices across the UK giving tips to dog owners on how they can help keep the postman safe when they call to deliver their mail.

A national Dog Awareness Week postmark will be applied to all postmarked letters this week.

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