July 3, 2017 1.05 pm This story is over 80 months old

Dog attacks on LN postal workers rise by almost 30%

Postmen and women working in the Lincoln post code area have reported a 28% rise in the number of dog attacks in one year. A union and Royal Mail study has revealed that around 14,500 dog attacks have taken place over the last five years in the UK. In the LN area, there were 28 incidents recorded…

Postmen and women working in the Lincoln post code area have reported a 28% rise in the number of dog attacks in one year.

A union and Royal Mail study has revealed that around 14,500 dog attacks have taken place over the last five years in the UK.

In the LN area, there were 28 incidents recorded during the 2016-17 financial year.

There have been 168 attacks in the area in the last five years.

The region with the highest number of dog incidents in the last year was Northern Ireland, with 67, followed by Brighton and Peterborough.

The numbers have been published as part of Royal Mail and the Communications Workers Unions’ fifth annual Dog Awareness Week, which runs from July 3 – 8.

CWU National Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce said: “Seven postal workers attacked by dogs every day of the year is unacceptable and the whole idea of Dog Awareness Week is to highlight the problem and the repercussions for dog owners and the victims, many of whom are seriously injured.

“Over 70% of dog attacks on postmen and women occur on the garden path or at the doorstep of the dog owner’s home.

“It just needs owners to restrict their animals access to the front garden or to put their dog in another room before opening the door to collect a parcel or sign for an item.”