Number of postmen attacked by dangerous dogs rockets,

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Number of postmen attacked by dangerous dogs rockets, costing Royal Mail millions

The number of postmen being attacked by dogs has skyrocketed, costing the Royal Mail millions of pounds in lost days.

Twelve posties a day are falling victim to dog attacks during their morning rounds, figures released by Royal Mail revealed yesterday.

Of the 14,000 postmen who suffered injuries over the past three years, 350 were bitten on the backside.

Another 128 suffered bites to their private parts.

The release of the figures comes amid growing concern about the number of dangerous dogs being kept to guard houses and the growing popularity of 'status dogs' such as Rottweilers.

Labour yesterday abandoned its plan to make dog owners buy compulsory insurance - just a week after putting up the idea.

It's plan for enforcement officers, scanners to check dogs for microchips, pounds for seized animals and a database of every dog in the country was dropped following complaints from pressure groups that responsible pet owners would be made to pay for the behaviour of a minority.

The new figures obtained from the Royal Mail revealed 4,667 leg, knee and shin bites, 1,884 finger injuries and 1,863 bites to thighs were sustained by officers.

Despite special training given to postmen on how to avoid dangerous situations, the figures have shown a 10 per cent increase - rocketing from 4,487 in 2006-7 to 5,091 last year.

The Royal Mail said 15,428 days were lost because of dog attacks - costing the company millions of pounds as it delivers post to Britain's 5million dog owners.
The figures were uncovered by MP hopeful Steffan Lewis, who is standing at the General Election for Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru.

He said: 'I've had complaints from posties that their job is being made increasingly difficult as a result of owners of dogs who fail to control their pets.
'There has been a significant rise in attacks - some of them causing severe injuries - in the last year.'

Mr Lewis, who hopes to win former Labour leader Neil Kinnock's seat in Islwyn, said the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act does not cover private property - meaning irresponsible owners escape prosecution.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: 'Royal Mail takes very seriously the safety of its employees - particularly our frontline postmen and women who deliver the mail.
'Unfortunately, dog attacks are a hazard faced by our employees.

'Our main aim is to prevent attacks and we have an ongoing campaign to raise awareness of the issue to our staff, with training and use of various techniques and equipment supplied to our postmen and women.

'We also look for the co-operation of our customers and we encourage the public to take responsibility for keeping their pets under control.'


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[DGP1]

350 were bitten on the backside.

Another 128 suffered bites to their private parts.

When I first saw the thread I thought - What are these new dog rockets????

[banner18]

Delivering later has contributed to this phenomenom....

[steven100]

Delivering later has contributed to this phenomenom....

Spot on mate and we'll be even later soon, bad news summer is approaching too.