Beware of the geese, posties!

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POSTMEN in Wales were attacked by dogs, geese and even pheasants last year the Royal Mail has revealed.

There were 298 dog attacks on postmen and women in Wales in 2009 out of a total of 5,091 nationally across the whole of the UK.

In recent weeks, a postman from Swansea, South Wales, was savaged on the leg by an alsatian and in Llangefni, in North Wales, a postman had to be taken to a specialist hospital in Liverpool, after he was bitten on the hand by an unleashed Labrador on an Anglesey farmyard.

Although the majority of attacks are by dogs, incidents involving cats, pheasants and geese attacking postmen have all been recorded.

David Power, aged 46, from Builth Wells, was bitten on the rear by a Spanish sheepdog while out delivering mail in the town.

He said: “The majority of dogs I come across on my round are well behaved and under the owner’s control but this one came bounding out of the door as I was walking up the garden.”

Although the bite wasn’t deep, he had to spend the rest of the day at hospital in Llandrindod Wells.

Royal Mail Regional Safety Director Michael Shakeshaft said: “Dog bites are still a major cause of injury to our postmen and women and the effects can cause considerable distress to those concerned. We therefore appreciate it when dog owners take extra care to keep their pets under control .”

The Royal Mail wants dogs to be kept indoors in a room away from the front door, around the time that the postman usually calls or mail boxes to be fitted with cages or placed away from properties.