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RMG/CWU National Dog Awareness Week 3 – 9 July 2023 Launch

As previously reported, the CWU fully supports this year’s Dog Awareness Week.

Working with the Royal Mail Group, Dave Joyce CWU’s National Health Safety and Environment Officer, has provided them with this quote for the launch of the campaign on 3rd July:

Launching the 2023 Royal Mail/Communication Workers Union National Dog Awareness Week (3 – 9 July),  CWU National Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce has called upon UK dog owners to be more responsible and keep their animals under control when Postal Workers make deliveries.

And Dave has called on the government to toughen up the Dangerous Dogs Laws and the Police to toughen up enforcement to deal with irresponsible owners.

Dave Joyce said:

“Dog Attacks remain a Major Safety Hazard and concern for Postmen and Women across the UK and the scale of the problem shouldn’t be underestimated – 30,000 Postmen and Women have been attacked by dogs in last decade! Over 80% at the front door. 30 – 40 postal workers attacked every week and 1000 Postmen and Women have had a finger bitten off or severely injured delivering the mail through the letterbox in the last 5 years.

We are calling on customers who are dog owners to work with us and help stop this by putting their animals in a safe place before opening the door to the Postman or Postwoman and fit a letterbox cage or outside box if the dog attacks the mail when it arrives through the front door.”  

Dave added:

”I remain very concerned about the continuing dog attack epidemic and national crisis we face. The number of people admitted to hospital for dog bites has tripled in the last 20 years and apart from the personal costs, pain, suffering, disablement and loss of life, it the costs the NHS over £70 million a year. NHS data shows that more than 10,000 people a year need in-patient hospital treatment after a dog attack many more attend A&E. Many of those victims are postal workers.”

“There have been 60 recorded dog attack deaths in the UK since 2000 and 20 have already been mauled to death by dogs in the last three years. This is a big concern for Postal Workers who are in the front line – delivering to the nation’s 31,000,000 addresses every day.”

“The unacceptably high prevalence, scale and volume of dog attacks plus the impact on victims, which can be life changing, is nothing less than a ‘national crisis.’”

“I have called on the UK government and the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to discuss what more can be done to toughen up the Dog Control Laws and improve Police enforcement and Court Penalties – such is my concern.”

“The Key Objectives of Dog Awareness Week are primarily to remind the Public to be aware of their legal and moral responsibilities to control their dogs and prevent dog attacks on victim Postal Workers who are providing them with a great public service.”

The Public need to be aware that if their dog attack a postal worker, they will be prosecuted either by the Police, Local Authority or by Royal Mail via a private prosecution.

A second message to our Postmen and Women is “Be vigilant, keep safe, take no risks, don’t enter properties where dogs are running lose, don’t put fingers through the letterbox, don’t assume a dog won’t bite as any dog can be aggressive, don’t accept an owners word that their dog will not bite either and report all dog attack incidents and near misses.”

The CWU, Royal Mail, Parcelforce and the National Police Chiefs Council will also be launching their new joint “Responsible Dog Ownership – How To Keep You, Your Dog and Visitors Safe” Dog Control Awareness” Guide/Leaflet.”

You can download the additional documents by clicking on the image above, and to the right.

The Statistics:

Dog attacks remain a major safety hazard and concern for postmen and women across the UK and the scale of the problem shouldn’t be underestimated:

• 30,000 postmen and women attacked by dogs in the last decade!
• 6 dog attacks on postal workers across the UK every day.
• 35 dog attacks on postal workers every week.
• 2,000 – 3,000 dog attacks on postal workers every year.
• 400 dog bites through the letterbox every year.
• 500 postmen and women have had a finger or part finger bitten off through the letterbox in the last 5 years.
• 80% of dog attacks on postal workers took place at the front door or on the garden path, driveway or yard.
• The UK dog population has surged by 3 million in the last 4 years according to the RSPCA.
• 10,000 people need hospital treatment following a dog attack according to the NHS.
• £75 million a year is the cost of NHS hospital treatment for dog attack injuries.

Source: CWU

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