CWU welcomes tougher sentencing guidelines on dangerous dog

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Sent: Tuesday, 21 August 2012, 15:38
Subject: FW: CWU welcomes tougher sentencing guidelines on dangerous dogs

Communication Workers Union
Dave Joyce National Health & Safety Officer
150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1RX
Tel: 020 8971 7365/7308 E-Mail: djoyce@cwu.org


20th August 2012

For immediate release


CWU welcomes tougher sentencing guidelines on dangerous dogs


The Communication Workers Union today (Monday) welcomes the publication of guidance on sentencing the owners of dangerous dogs, but says that a change in the law is needed to get the full benefit.


Dave Joyce, CWU health, safety and environment officer, said: “We warmly welcome today’s publication of sentencing guidelines on dangerous dogs.

“There wasn’t – and never has been – any guidance on sentencing for dangerous dog related crime. We’ve pointed this out in our Bite Back campaign because the lack of guidance was leading to inconsistent and inadequate sentences.

“We still need a change in the law to get the full benefit of this change in sentencing as this will only apply to successful prosecutions, of which there are still far too few in relation to the number of dog attacks.

“Thousands of innocent people – including young children and postal workers – are being attacked by dogs every year. The change in sentencing is welcome but much more needs to be done to prevent attacks from happening in the first place and to encourage more responsible dog ownership.”


CWU is the biggest union in the communications sector with over 220,000 members in post, telecoms, support and financial services. The union launched its Bite Back campaign in 2008 to raise awareness and secure changes on dangerous dogs issues after 2 Postmen were nearly killed in dog attacks and 6,500 postal workers were injured by dogs that year. In the last 12 months 10 postal workers have had fingers bitten off in attacks and earlier this year a Postman nearly lost a leg and remains disabled..


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For more information please contact:

Sian Jones, Press Officer, tel: 020 8971 7267, mobile: 0779 3314249, e-mail: sbjones@cwu.org

http://www.cwu.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://www.cwutv.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Twitter: @CWUnews


Notes to editors

· The new sentencing guidance came about as a direct result of the CWU 'Bite-Back' Campaign - pointing out to ministers that Sentencing Guidance for Dangerous Dogs Offence had NEVER been issued !
· There were more than 3,100 recorded dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers in the last year (to April 2012).
· Attacks rise during the school holidays when children are at home and dogs are more likely to be left or let out unsupervised.
· 70% of attacks on postal workers take place on private property where the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act does not apply.
· Scotland and Northern Ireland have changed the law and the Welsh Assembly intends to legislate this autumn to bring in stronger dogs laws. Only Westminster is yet to act to bring in better dogs laws.
· CWU estimates that 5,000 postal workers and telecom engineers are attacked by dogs each year.
· CWU wants the law to be extended to private property; compulsory microchipping; dog control notices; compensation for victims; and insurance for all dogs.
· The UK government accepted CWU representations on the lack of guidelines around sentencing, resulting in today’s announcement.
· CWU opposes moves by the government to axe compensation for dog attack victims through cutting the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS).
· More information and case studies available at: http://www.cwu.org/dangerous-dogs-bite-back.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


From Sian Jones | Press Officer
E sbjones@cwu.org | T 020 8971 7267 | M 0779 3314249 | Twitter @CWUnews

Communication Workers Union The communications union
Headquarters 150 The Broadway | Wimbledon | SW19 1RX
T 020 8971 7200 | F 020 8971 7300 | http://www.cwu.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; | http://www.cwutv.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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