Control your dog or risk prosecution warning, as 50 attacks on Cumbrian posties revealed

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DOG owners are being urged to control their pets in the run-up to Christmas after figures revealed nearly 50 north Cumbrian posties were savaged in three years.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) fears the official dog bite figures for the CA post code area do not reveal the full extent of the injuries being sustained by delivery staff.

Royal Mail figures show that so far this year 14 posties have been bitten, including four in Carlisle and three in Whitehaven.

Over the last three years, 47 postal delivery staff have been bitten, the worst year being 2013/14, when 20 were attacked across the CA area, which also includes Workington and Penrith, which in that same year saw nine reported attacks.

With the number of deliveries nationally likely to double as a result of Christmas, officials at both Royal Mail and the CWU are now urging dog owners to do all they can to protect postmen and women.

Dave Joyce, the CWU's national health and safety officer, said: “In reality, being confronted by an animal that is out of control, and bitten, can be a terrifying experience.

“In 2008, across the country, we had 6,500 attacks on postmen and women a year, including two nearly fatal ones. Now, after we lobbied for a change in the law, it's down to 3,000 a year, but we reckon this problem is under-reported.

"But the problem is not the dogs; it's the person who should be on the other end of the lead. It's owners who fail to keep their dogs under control.”

Mr Joyce in recent years, postal staff have suffered horrendous injuries including disfiguring facial bites and the loss of fingers.

The union campaigned successfully to have the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 extended to protect posties when delivering mail on private property.

The result is that dog owners whose pets do attack can now face serious consequences, including prosecution, an unlimited fine, possible jail, and the destruction of their dog if it is deemed a danger to the public.

Rob Jenson, Operations Director for Royal Mail, added: “We know that the overwhelming majority of dogs are friendly most of the time.

“However, even the most placid animal will defend itself if it feels its territory is being threatened. Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety of our people who provide a valuable service to our customers."