Posties are facing 'concerning rise' in dog attacks with more suffering vicious maulings because of 'boom in parcel orders'

Royal Mail workers are facing a rise in the number of dog attacks as cases increased by 15 per cent in the last year. 

The British postal service reported 2,206 attacks on its colleagues last year, equating to an average of 42 attacks every week. 

Figures also show a concerning rise in attacks causing serious and significant injury, with the number increasing by 148% from 33 in 2023 to 82 this year.

One expert in human and dog relations claimed the rise in attacks could be down to an increase in the number of parcels being delivered as well as the increase in the number of people owning dogs.

Royal Mail has urged dog owners to take proper measures to ensure their pets pose no threat to delivery postal workers such as by locking them in a separate room or preventing them from roaming outside. 

The figures have also shown the areas where the number of dog attacks is the highest. 

Portsmouth and Belfast postcode areas came in top with 62 postmen or women suffering dog attacks in both locations, followed jointly by Bristol and Brighton postcode areas with 48 attacks. 

The third most dangerous place for attacks, with 44 reports, is the Plymouth postcode area.

Professor Carri Westgarth, Chair in Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Liverpool, said the surge in attacks could be down to an increase in the number of parcels being delivered.

She told The Telegraph: 'Dog bites appear to be rising and bites happen for many reasons, but increased bites to delivery workers are likely due to us receiving more parcels these days, meaning we need to open the door more frequently.'

As in previous years, the majority of dog attacks, 1,078 (49%), took place at the front door.  

A further 585 (26%) of dog attacks took place in the garden, drive or yard. There were 154 (7%) attacks in the street or road. 

There were 389 injuries suffered through the letterbox - accounting for 18% of attacks on postal workers. 

Letterbox attacks were the subject of a 2020 High Court ruling that stated dog owners (or those in care of a dog) can be prosecuted if their pets have free access to the letterbox and cause injury to any delivery operative, whether the owner is at home or not.

Lizz Lloyd, Health & Safety Director, Royal Mail, said: 'We are saddened and disappointed to see attacks on our staff continue to increase.

'Dog attacks have a devastating effect on our people, and we are appealing to dog owners to think twice when the postman calls. All dog attacks can have life changing consequences for victims, even when the physical injury is not significant.

'Almost half of attacks happen at the front door and over a quarter in the front garden, so this is not just a Royal Mail issue, many other organisations face the same problem.'

Dog attacks on Royal Mail colleagues resulted in more than 2,273 days of absence in 2023/24 with the longest period of absence being 197 days.

There are approximately 13.5 million pet dogs in the UK, according to UK Pet Food's Pet Data Report 2024.