Biting back against dog attacks: MPs support RMs Dog week

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Biting back against dog attacks: MPs support Royal Mail’s Dog Awareness Week - See more at: http://www.royalmailgroup.com/biting-ba ... Y9yvF.dpuf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Royal Mail reveals survey of Members of Parliament who have been attacked while out canvassing or delivering leaflets

The research is being published as part of Royal Mail’s Dog Awareness Week, which is highlighting the number of dog attacks on postal workers and encouraging responsible dog ownership

Around 80 MPs will attend a special drop-in session at Westminster later today hosted by Andrew Rosindell MP, supported by Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Dogs Trust, and with Royal Mail Group’s Safety Director, to provide politicians tips on how to react around dogs

Royal Mail has published new figures that revealed over 3,300 postal workers were attacked by a dog between April 2013 to April 2014 – an 8 per cent increase on the previous year*

MPs and Royal Mail are calling for responsible dog ownership and are appealing to dog owners to keep animals under control

Dog attacks on MPs will be highlighted in Westminster later today as part of Royal Mail’s Dog Awareness Week.

Royal Mail is publishing the results of a survey of MPs and Assembly Members about their personal experiences of being bitten by a dog.
The survey found that politicians face similar risks of being attacked by a dog to postal workers when out canvassing or delivering leaflets. Just over half of the near-50 respondents revealed they had an incident with a dog.

In the poll, Stuart Andrew, MP for Pudsey told Royal Mail how he was pinned to a wall by a dog while out in his constituency, while Yasmin Qureshi MP required hospital treatment after she was badly bitten in Bolton South East. Gordon Birtwhistle MP for Burnley has suffered two dog attacks one of which resulted in a bite to his finger.

Around 80 MPs are expected to attend a drop-in session this morning hosted by Andrew Rosindell MP, supported by Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Dogs Trust, with Royal Mail Group Director of Health, Safety, Wellbeing and Sustainability, Shaun Davis. It will provide them with advice on how to react around dogs when out in their local areas. Animal Welfare Minister, Lord De Mauley, will be lending his support to the event and has been active in highlighting the issue of responsible dog ownership.

Andrew Rosindell MP has tabled Early Day Motion 106 supporting Royal Mail’s Dog Awareness Week, welcoming in the change in law and promoting responsible dog ownership.

Mr Rosindell said: “I am pleased to be able to throw my support behind Royal Mail’s Dog Awareness Week and host a drop-in session in Parliament. This is giving Members of Parliament the opportunity to get some tips on how to protect themselves from dog attacks when out canvassing in the run up to next year’s General Election.

“Too many postmen and women are attacked each year- with the law now strengthened we need to start to promote responsible dog ownership which in turn will help reduce the number of these attacks. “

Dog attacks on the rise

This forms part of Royal Mail’s wider campaign to reduce the number of dog attacks on postal workers and to encourage responsible dog ownership.

The company has released new figures that have shown an increase in dog attacks on postmen and women. There were over 3,300 dog attacks on postmen and women between April 2013 to April 2014 – an average of nine per day, some leading to a permanent disabling injury. The number of attacks has risen by
8 per cent nationally since 2012*.

The campaign is being held in partnership with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and has received support from a wide range of organisations and animal charities. This includes Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Dogs Trust, Blue Cross, National Animal Welfare Trust and the National Dog Warden Association.
Shaun Davis, Royal Mail Group Director of Health, Safety, Wellbeing and Sustainability said; “We’re pleased that politicians are lending their support to our important campaign.

“As we’ve seen from our survey, postal workers are not alone in facing dog attacks – politicians experience the same risk of being bitten by a dog every time they canvass or deliver a leaflet through someone’s door. Nobody should face this hazard whilst simply trying to do their job.

“Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety of our people who provide a valuable service to our customers. We appeal to owners to keep their pets under control, especially if they know their pets have a territorial nature. It can also be simple things that help - for example just making sure the dog is kept inside when the postman calls.”

Issued by
Morag Turnbull
Royal Mail Press Office
morag.turnbull@royalmail.com
0203 338 1007

NOTES TO EDITORS
Please visit http://www.royalmail.com/dogawareness" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Opens in new window and @royalmailnews Opens in new window for more information.
* Royal Mail has changed the way dog attacks are measured and last year’s reported number has been rebased using the new methodology. As a result last year’s April 2012 to April 2013 figure has been recalculated to 3,072 attacks. There has been an 8% increase to 3.311 attacks taking place between April 2013 to April 2014.

Top Tips for Dog Owners

Even the most lovable dog can be a danger to postal staff. Dogs are territorial by nature and if they feel they need to protect their family, they can become unpredictable.

Here are some ideas to help your postman or woman deliver your post in safety:

Ensure your dog is out of the way before the postman or woman arrives. Place your pet in the back garden or a faraway room.
If you have a back garden, please close off the access, in case your dog could get round to the front when the postman calls.
Dog attacks can happen when you’ve opened the door to sign for an item. Please keep your dog in another room before answering the door and make sure children don’t open the door, as dogs can push by them and attack.
Give your dog some food or a toy to occupy them while your mail is being delivered
Wait 10 minutes after your mail has arrived to let your pet back into your hallway. Keep everything as calm and low-key as possible.
If your dog likes to attack your mail consider installing a wire letter receptacle. It will protect your post, and your postman’s fingers
If it’s not practical for you to keep your dog away from a postman delivering your mail, please consider fitting a secure mailbox on the edge of your property.

Legal Protection in England and Wales

Royal Mail welcomes changes to the Dangerous Dog Act that came into force in May. This new legislation now ensures our postmen and women will have legal protection over attacks by dogs when they enter private property, including a customer’s garden. Tougher penalties will also be imposed for irresponsible dog owners.

Previously, legal protection over attacks by dogs did not extend ‘beyond the garden gate’. This legal loophole was a particular issue for postmen and women, who each visit hundreds of private addresses every day on their delivery rounds.

The legal loophole in England and Wales was highlighted in an independent report published in November 2012, commissioned by Royal Mail Group’s Chairman Donald Brydon. The report set out the recommendations from an inquiry into dog attacks on postal workers, led by former High Court Judge Sir Gordon Langley.

The law had already changed in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

About Royal Mail plc
Royal Mail plc is the parent company of Royal Mail Group Limited, the leading provider of postal and delivery services in the UK and the UK’s designated universal postal service provider. UK Parcels, International and Letters (“UKPIL”) comprises the company’s UK and international parcels and letters delivery businesses operating under the “Royal Mail” and “Parcelforce Worldwide” brands. Through the Royal Mail Core Network, the company delivers a one-price-goes-anywhere service on a range of parcels and letters products. Royal Mail has the capability to deliver to more than 29 million addresses in the UK, six days a week (excluding UK public holidays). Parcelforce Worldwide operates a separate UK network which collects and delivers express parcels. Royal Mail also owns General Logistics Systems (GLS) which operates one of the largest ground-based, deferred parcel delivery networks in Europe.

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