Postman loses fingertip during attack by retriever

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Po ... 082011.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A postman had part of his finger bitten off by a dog while delivering mail in a Cambridgeshire village.

The attack occurred in Cottenham as the postman was delivering to a private home. It is believed the dog was a retriever.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said the incident happened on Friday morning last week as the postman was doing rounds.

The union said the postman, a Cottenham resident, will not be able to claim damages because of a loophole in the law.

Mark Toner, secretary of the CWU for Cambridge, said: “I can confirm that a postal worker in Cottenham was bitten by a dog and lost the tip of his finger.

“He was not aware there was a dog at the address. Usually we are told if there is a dog and we have a device which allows us to deliver mail that means we do not have to put our hand in the letter box.

“We believe the dog involved was a retriever and they are not known for their aggression.”

CWU launched the ‘Bite-Back’ campaign in 2008 after postman Keith Davies was savaged by two dogs in Cambridge.

He almost lost an arm when the rottweilers attacked him while he delivered Christmas cards outside a mansion in Trumpington.

The union estimates that some 5,000 postal workers are attacked by domestic pets each year.

The loophole in the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act means that there is no redress for dog attacks which occur on private property.

Mr Toner said: “This latest incident just highlights the need for our campaign and we urge the public to get behind it. Postal workers cannot claim insurance if an attack happens on private property.”

Seventy per cent of dog attacks on postal workers occur on private property, in gardens, drives, paths and private roads, the CWU said.

In Cambridgeshire in 2009/10 there were 45 people admitted to hospitals with dog bites, increasing to 54 in 2010/11, according to the NHS Information Centre.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that a postman was bitten by a dog last week as he was delivering mail to an address in Cottenham and lost the tip of his finger as a result of the attack.

“Mail deliveries were temporarily suspended to the address while we investigated the incident.

“We have visited the address and the dog owner has agreed to take measures to prevent a future attack. Mail deliveries are expected to resume shortly. The postman is now recovering from his injury.”

[cyclemech1]

“He was not aware there was a dog at the address. Usually we are told if there is a dog and we have a device which allows us to deliver mail that means we do not have to put our hand in the letter box.

What device is that then?

[mallard63]

Think of a normal 12" ruler. That's it . And about as much use!!!!

[daveyeff]

well, if our recent wtll huddle is anything to go by, they,ll be looking to sack him then.

[B.D.O]

Correct me if I am wrong or am I cracking up. But didn't the government pass a new law recently meaning dog owners can now be prosecuted even if the attack happens on private property ?

Or am I barking up the wrong tree

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Correct me if I am wrong or am I cracking up. But didn't the government pass a new law recently meaning dog owners can now be prosecuted even if the attack happens on private property ?

Or am I barking up the wrong tree

Depends where you are - Scotland have passed a law recently and so has NI - not 100% sure if the NI refers to attacks on private land but the one for Scotland does.

For England and Wales - No law - Yet we are still dog bait.

[hans solo]

Correct me if I am wrong or am I cracking up. But didn't the government pass a new law recently meaning dog owners can now be prosecuted even if the attack happens on private property ?

Or am I barking up the wrong tree

new laws in scotland re dogs and yes owner would be prosecuted , dog in danger of being destroyed and a good compensation claim for the victim
ah fcukin hate dogs anyway all they do is eat s**t and bark

[brothermagrew]

Correct me if I am wrong or am I cracking up. But didn't the government pass a new law recently meaning dog owners can now be prosecuted even if the attack happens on private property ?

Or am I barking up the wrong tree

Depends where you are - Scotland have passed a law recently and so has NI - not 100% sure if the NI refers to attacks on private land but the one for Scotland does.

For England and Wales - No law - Yet we are still dog bait.

The new Northern Ireland legislation, (as with the new Scottish Dangerous Dogs legislation, reported to Branches previously in LTB 221/11 on 8 March 2011), will apply everywhere, including private property and will give Police, Councils and Courts greater powers to impose penalties on the owners of dangerous dogs. The legislation modernises the existing "piecemeal" ineffective legislation in Northern Ireland (The Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, The Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1991, The Dogs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2001) on dogs.

The Dogs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, places a sharper focus and responsible dog ownership and the control of dangerous or out of control dogs with more legal responsibility placed on the owners of badly behaved dogs.


As the brotherTeebs has rightly pointed out, there have been no further changes made to any of the legislation on dogs which covers private land in England and Wales.

[brothermagrew]

“He was not aware there was a dog at the address. Usually we are told if there is a dog and we have a device which allows us to deliver mail that means we do not have to put our hand in the letter box.

What device is that then?

Device is known as the Post-It Peg.

[Dorset Plodder]

All very well if.."we are told there is a dog..." What about the sneaky bastard dogs that don't bark but just lie in wait for the unsuspecting postie? I consider myself careful but I've felt a couple of nips over the last couple of months. Don't intend to put me fingers through but when you've got a single flimsy letter and some of these bloody stiff brushes, on the inside of the letterbox, my fingers sometimes slip through! How much draft are these people trying to exclude?

Result is me normally jumping about on the doorstep Effing & Jeffing. Funny the customer doesn't normally come out you just hear, "Naughty Boy Fluffy you mustn't do that!" Me I love Dogs, especially curried!

[B.D.O]

All very well if.."we are told there is a dog..." What about the sneaky bastard dogs that don't bark but just lie in wait for the unsuspecting postie? I consider myself careful but I've felt a couple of nips over the last couple of months. Don't intend to put me fingers through but when you've got a single flimsy letter and some of these bloody stiff brushes, on the inside of the letterbox, my fingers sometimes slip through! How much draft are these people trying to exclude?

Result is me normally jumping about on the doorstep Effing & Jeffing. Funny the customer doesn't normally come out you just hear, "Naughty Boy Fluffy you mustn't do that!" Me I love Dogs, especially curried!

Thats happened to me twice. On each occasion I knocked on the door and told the customer I will not be using there letter again and showed them my bleeding finger, if they want there mail they will have to put a box up.
On both occasions the customer did not make a fuss and after a few days a box was put up.