4:01pm Thursday 9th July 2009
Dogs are among the biggest fears for posties across the district, a survey has found.
Six thousand postal workers get attacked each year, according to the Communication Workers Union.
Half of all postal workers are frequently growled at, 39 per cent have been the subject of teeth baring and 54 per cent regularly have to endure aggressive barking.
A quarter of postmen have been bitten by a dog on their post round, while 23 per cent have had their clothes damaged when trying to get away from a dog.
Paul Clays, CWU spokesman for West Yorkshire, said: “This is a serious problem as postal workers are attacked every day.
“We have had cases in West Yorkshire where postal workers have been put in hospital for months on end.”
Dangerous dogs do not necessarily need to be the popularly feared pit bull terriers as smaller dogs can be just as vicious, according to Mr Clays.
He said: “There are so many cases of dog attacks on postal workers but so little is done.
“We feel that dangerous dogs such as Pit Bulls should be registered, neutered, micro-chipped, and insured as well as all the other legal requirements.
“Any dogs which bite or attack should be put down, in our opinion.”
The average postal worker fears at least five dogs on their usual round every day, according to the research.
And more than a third of postmen have tried to get clever in a bid to ensure their safety on the round by offering the dog biscuits, bones and chews.
Mike Pickard, head of home insurance at Esure which carried out the survey, said: “Dog owners should always ensure their pet is under control and is in no position to harm either a postman or a passer-by.”
Pit Bull Terriers were voted Britain’s most fearsome dogs and are most likely to strike fear into the hearts of postal workers more than any other breed.
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