Royal Mail has reported a surge in dog attacks on postal workers – with Tunbridge Wells in Kent named as the worst offending postcode.
A total of 1,916 dog attacks have been reported in the year up to 31 March 2023 – averaging 37 a week and increasing 14% on the 1,673 incidents in the previous year.
Some postal workers suffered serious injuries after being savaged by people’s pets, with one woman left needing multiple operations including plastic surgery when a dog jumped up from behind and clamped on her elbow.
For the first time, the TN (Tunbridge Wells) postcode has been named the worst offender for dog attacks – after being in the list of worst postcode areas for nine consecutive years.
Some 65 postal workers were confronted by people’s pets in the Kent postcode – up from 44 last year, representing an increase of 48%.
The BT (Belfast) postcode followed in second with 56 attacks, up from 50 last year, having previously topped the list four times since 2013.
Sheffield saw a 2% drop compared with last year but still placed third with 50 workers targeted by dogs.
The figures were released on Monday, the first day of the annual Dog Awareness Week, which aims to encourage responsible dog ownership.
Royal Mail said it wanted people to understand the “often devastating impact of dog attacks” on postal workers and take proper measures to ensure pets do not pose a threat.
More than 900 dog attacks happened at the front door – accounting for 47% of incidents.
A further 515 (27%) occurred in the garden, drive or yard while 11% took place in the street.
Some 381 injuries were caused through the letterbox, the equivalent of around 20%.
Dog attacks caused workers to take more than 3,000 days of absence in the past year, Royal Mail said, with one individual needing 139 days off.
In a statement, it said: “Royal Mail knows that dogs are not inherently dangerous, but, even the most placid animal can be prone to attack if it feels either it or its territory is being threatened.”
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‘I couldn’t face going back on that round’
Postwoman Kimberley Link, 50, had been working in Eltham, southeast London, for around two years when she was savaged by a “big” dog on her rounds in July 2022.
She needed multiple operations including plastic surgery and skin grafts after the animal “suddenly appeared” before sinking its teeth into her arm.
One of the dog’s teeth lodged in her elbow and had to be removed during surgery.
She was in hospital for a week and needed six months off work to recover after the ordeal – which caused bad scarring to her elbow and permanent nerve damage to her hand, meaning she can no longer grip properly.
Recalling the attack, Ms Link said: “I realised [the dog] was loose and turned to get away, but he jumped up at me from behind and clamped on to my left elbow.
“I can remember the dog pulling me to the floor then letting go of my elbow and then trying to bite into the back of my neck.”
A neighbour rushed to the aid of Ms Link after hearing her scream in pain, pulling the dog off her before calling an ambulance.
“I’ve now got bad scarring on my elbow and a large patch where I have no feeling or sensation due to the skin graft,” Ms Link added.
“When I returned there was a management position available so I decided to take it – I couldn’t have faced going back on that round.”
Now she is urging dog owners to be always be cautious when a stranger comes to their home.
“Dogs are defensive of their home, so, if possible, put them in another room before opening the door to the postie because most dogs will try and push their way past their owner to the door.”
A court ordered the dog should be destroyed after the owner was prosecuted over the attack.
They were also handed a 12-month community order of 100 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £1,200 compensation to Ms Link.
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Where are the 10 worst postcodes – and how many attacks happened in the past year?
1. TN (Tunbridge Wells) – 65
2. BT (Belfast) – 56
3. S (Sheffield) – 50
4. PO (Portsmouth) – 49
5. BS (Bristol) – 42
6. SA (Swansea) – 41
7. EX (Exeter) – 38
8. NG (Nottingham) – 37
Joint 9th: BN (Brighton) and OX (Oxford) – both 34
Royal Mail’s health and safety director, Lizz Lloyd, said: “We are concerned to see attacks on our staff have increased this year.
“We know the number of attacks rises during the school holidays and in the summer months when parents and children are at home and dogs are sometimes allowed unsupervised in the garden or out on to the streets without restraints.
“So, while we want our customers to enjoy being outside with their pets, we also want to ask them to consider the danger unsupervised dogs pose to our colleagues.”
