LTB 169/23 - RM/CWU National Dog Awareness Week 3 – 9 July 2023
No. 169/2023
30 June 2023
Our Ref: P18/23
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
RM/CWU National Dog Awareness Week 3 – 9 July 2023:
Introduction:
Further to LTB No. 154/2023 dated 16 June 2023, 149/23 dated 12 June 2023 and two letters to all ASRs dated 29 June 2023, this is to remind all CWU Regions, Branches and Reps that the annual Royal Mail Group/CWU National Dog Awareness Week, our eleventh annual campaign, takes place next week, Monday 3 July to Sunday 9 July.
A further LTB will follow on Monday 3 July when Royal Mail Group issue an embargoed press release and publish the 2022/23 dog attack statistics, postcode by postcode area, breaking down the number of attacks in each area to indicate the worst, highest risk areas of the country.
As the CWU Health, Safety and Environment Department presses on with our re-launched ‘Bite-Back’ Campaign for better dog control laws, better police enforcement and tougher court penalties, meetings have recently been held with the UK Government’s DEFRA Ministry Officials, with the Scottish Government’s Head of Safer Communities and Justice Directorate and with Welsh Government Ministers, Assembly Members, Welsh MPs teams and Cardiff Councillors.
CWU Statement on Dog Awareness Week 2023 Launch – Key Objective and Messages To Dog Owners and CWU Postal Worker Members:
Launching the 2023 Royal Mail/Communication Workers Union National Dog Awareness Week 3 – 9 July), the CWU is calling upon UK dog owners to be more responsible and keep their animals under control when postal workers make deliveries.
The CWU is additionally calling on the Government to “toughen up the Dangerous Dogs Laws and the Police to toughen up enforcement to deal with irresponsible owners and to stop disposing of cases via Community Resolution Orders (CROs). Finally, we call on the Courts to hand down penalties that fit the crime when dog owners fail to control dogs that inflict atrocious injuries on postal workers who are mauled and savaged in too many cases.
Dog attacks remain a major safety hazard and concern for postmen and women across the UK and the scale of the problem shouldn’t be underestimated – Over 30,000 postmen and women have been attacked by dogs in the last decade! Over 80% at the front door. 36 postal workers are attacked by dogs every week, 6 every day, 2000 to 3000 every year and 1000 postmen and women have had a finger bitten off or severely injured whilst delivering the mail through the letterbox in the last 5 years. Over the last 12 months the number of recorded dog attacks rose by 15%.
We are again calling on customers who are dog owners to work with us and help stop this by putting their animals in a safe place before opening the door to the postman or postwoman and to fit a letterbox cage or outside mail box if their dog attacks the mail when it arrives through the front door.
We remain very concerned about the continuing UK dog attack epidemic and national crisis we face. The number of people admitted to hospital for dog bites has tripled in the last 20 years and apart from the personal costs, pain, suffering, disablement and loss of life, it costs the NHS around £75 million a year. NHS data shows that more than 10,000 people a year need in-patient hospital treatment after a dog attack, many more attend A&E. Many of those victims are postal workers.
There have been over 60 recorded dog attack deaths in the UK since 2000 and 20 have already been mauled to death by dogs in the last three years. This is a big concern for postal workers who are in the front line – delivering to the nation’s 31,000,000 addresses every day.
The unacceptably high prevalence, scale and volume of dog attacks plus the impact on victims, which can be life changing, is nothing less than a ‘national crisis.’
We have called on the UK Government and the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to discuss what more can be done to toughen up the Dog Control Laws and improve Police enforcement and court penalties – such is our concern in the CWU.
The key objectives of Dog Awareness Week are primarily to remind the public to be aware of their legal and moral responsibilities to control their dogs and prevent dog attacks on postal workers who are providing them with a great public service.
The public need to be aware that if their dog attacks a postal worker, they will be prosecuted either by the Police, Local Authority or by Royal Mail via a private prosecution under the agreement between Royal Mail and the CWU.
A Second Message To Our Postmen And Women Members Is:
Be vigilant, keep safe, take no risks and protect yourself at all times.
Don’t enter properties where dogs are running lose.
Don’t put fingers through the letterbox.
Don’t assume a dog won’t bite as any dog can be aggressive.
Don’t accept an owner’s word that their dog will not bite either.
Report all dog attack incidents and near misses.
Dog Attacks – Shocking Statistics:
Dog attacks remain a major safety hazard and concern for postmen and postwomen across the UK and the scale of the problem shouldn’t be underestimated – read the statics that speak for themselves:
33,000 postmen and postwomen attacked by dogs in the last decade!
6 dog attacks on postal workers across the UK every day.
37 dog attacks on postal workers every week.
1,900 reported dog attacks on postal workers in 2021/22.
450 dog bites through the letterbox every year.
1,000 postmen and women have had a finger or part finger bitten off through the letterbox in the last 5 years.
80% of dog attacks on postal workers took place at the front door or on the garden path, driveway or yard.
The UK dog population has surged by 3 million in the last 4 years according to the RSPCA.
10,000 people need hospital treatment following a dog attack according to the NHS.
Alder Hay Hospital in Liverpool reported that the number of children admitted for dog attack injuries had surged by over 70%.
£75 million a year is the cost of NHS hospital treatment for dog attack injuries.
There have been 66 recorded dog attack deaths in the UK from 1981 to June 2023 with the average number of fatal attacks having risen from 1 a year 1999-2008 up to 10 a year 2009-2023.
The CWU is very concerned about the continuing dog attack epidemic. The number of people admitted to hospital for dog bites has tripled in the last 20 years and apart from the personal costs, pain, suffering and disablement caused by dog attacks, it costs the NHS and UK taxpayers over £75 million a year, treating more than 10,000 patients, including innocent postal worker victims.
19 people have been killed in dog attacks in the last 3 years so it’s a big concern for our postal worker members who go to the nation’s 31 million addresses every day.
Message To Government:
The unacceptably high prevalence, scale and volume of dog attacks plus the impact on victims, which can be life changing, is nothing less than a ‘national crisis’. This is the message we are conveying to the Government and Devolved Administrations
The CWU has called upon UK dog owners to be more responsible and keep their animals under control and we have called on the Government to further toughen up the dangerous dogs laws and enforcement.
Representations are again being made to Government Ministers, the DEFRA Secretary of State George Eustice’s team in Westminster where three meetings have taken place in which we have called for more Government and Police action and a toughening up of the dog control laws and enforcement – such is the concern of the CWU.
The Scottish Government established a Government-led Dangerous Dogs Legislation Review Group which commenced work last year, meeting monthly. The Scottish Government appointed the CWU National Health, Safety & Environment Officer to the Group which is discussing in fine details all aspects of dog control law and enforcement with the aim of progressing the production of a report and recommendations to the Scottish First Minister and Scottish Government and a meeting is scheduled with the Scottish Government Minister Siobhian Brown MSP (Minister for Victims and Community Safety) during the parliament recess.
Finally, a meeting has also taken place with Welsh Government Ministers and Assembly Members to re-open discussions on Dog Control.
The Key Objectives Of Dog Awareness Week:
The Key Objectives of Dog Awareness Week are firstly and primarily to remind the public to be aware of their legal and moral responsibilities to control their dogs and prevent dog attacks on postal workers who are providing them with a great public service and have been heroes, working through the pandemic as essential workers, delivering the mountain of goods to the public, ordered on-line during the high street lockdowns and a million test kits a day – also a reminder to all our postmen and women members to be vigilant, keep safe and take no risks – and don’t put your fingers through the letterbox!
The public need to be aware that if their dog attacks a postal worker, they will be prosecuted either by the Police, Local Authority or by Royal Mail via a private prosecution under the agreement between Royal Mail and the CWU.
A second message is to our to Postmen and Women CWU members and is:
Be vigilant, keep safe, take no risks and protect yourself at all times.
Don’t enter properties where dogs are running lose.
Don’t put fingers through the letterbox.
Don’t assume a dog won’t bite as any dog can be aggressive.
Don’t accept an owner’s word that their dog will not bite either.
Report all dog attack incidents and near misses.
New ‘Responsible Dog Ownership – How To Keep You, Your Dog and Visitors Safe’ – Dog Control Awareness Guide/Leaflet – Launched
The CWU, Royal Mail, Parcelforce and the National Police Chief’s Council will also be proudly launching our new joint ‘Responsible Dog Ownership – How To Keep You, Your Dog and Visitors Safe’ – Dog Control Awareness Guide/Leaflet during Dog Awareness Week.
An electronic copy is attached which can be downloaded and printed off for local campaigning and ‘door to door’ drop initiatives in high impact dog attack problem areas.
The Health, Safety and Environment Department are very pleased with this ‘Guide Leaflet’ having achieved endorsement from the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC). This now needs to be as widely circulated as possible.
ASRs and Reps can drop these ‘Guide Leaflets’ into local schools, local authorities, community centres, clubs and associations, dog training schools, animal and dog charities etc.
Send the Guide Leaflet to local press, radio, community publications, newsletters, social media and websites etc. It’s aimed at dog owners and our customers, the UK public. The leaflets can be utilised in door to door drops, targeting high impact areas also.
Get the support of the local authority and local Police. You can drop copies into local Police stations and council offices. send them to your local MP and local councillors to raise awareness also.
If you need copies printed either organise it locally or contact the Health, Safety and Environment Department for a supply.
Message to all ASRs:
Your assistance in supporting, publicising, raising awareness and onward communicating the important campaign messages both externally with the public, customers and organisations plus importantly raising awareness amongst members is important and is very much appreciated. Please be proactive during Dog Awareness Week – this is a crucially important issue for us. We’ve seen a worrying increase in serious dog attacks involving serious injuries to members across the country.
Attachments:
New ‘Responsible Dog Ownership – How To Keep You, Your Dog and Visitors Safe’ – Dog Control Awareness guide/leaflet
RM/PFWW/CWU ‘External’ Dog Awareness Week poster.
RM/PFWW/CWU ‘Internal’ Dog Awareness Week poster.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce National Health, Safety & Environment Officer