Dog Attacks – Daily Mirror and Independent Articles 1st August 2016 – Advice by Dr Roger Mugford, Animal Psychologist On ‘How Posties Should Avoid Dog Attacks’:
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
The Health, Safety & Environment Department has received a number of enquiries from CWU Representatives and members in relation to an article on Dog Attacks which appeared in the National and Local press e.g. Daily Mirror on 31st July and the Independent 1st August followed by Local and Regional press and on line coverage over the last several weeks.
The article contained advice by Dr. Roger Mugford, an animal psychologist, who said that “the best thing for posties to do was befriend the dogs and keep them happy by always carrying a bag of treats. Then once a post man befriends a dog, they will be friends for life.”
Before going further, I think it is safe to say that Dr. Mugford has never been a Postman to our knowledge.
In relation to the uninvited and unwanted advice he offers our members, both the CWU and Royal Mail do not subscribe to or support his suggestion or advice to Postmen and Women – that they should attempt to befriend all the dogs on their round in order to avoid attacks! We do not believe that such an approach would either be safe in many cases or would universally succeed.
Additionally, Dr. Mugford’s advice is not advice or an approach that in our experience has been suggested by other dog psychologists or animal experts and dog welfare charities, many of whom have been involved in working with the CWU and Royal Mail during the course of the “Bite-Back” Campaign or during the joint RM/CWU annual Dog Awareness weeks.
It is a simplistic, wishful thinking idea that bears no resemblance to reality out on the streets, performing a postal delivery round when our members don’t have the luxury or the time to attempt it or, as happens in most cases, they don’t have the chance to even think about it and our Delivery members cannot, in most cases, foresee dog attacks coming and finally of course don’t have the time or luxury of attempting to befriend dogs during the course of performing their deliveries. It would in many cases be inadvisable to even attempt befriending many of the aggressive uncontrolled dogs that launch unprovoked and unexpected attacks on Postmen and Women and of course, some customers don’t want their dogs befriending visitors.
The biggest mistake Dr. Mugford makes is that the problem our members face is ‘on the other end of the lead’. The problem is irresponsible owners not controlling their dogs. Owners who don’t want their dogs befriending the Postman or Woman or anyone else coming near their property. The message is keep out and keep away in many cases. These Owners fail to train and socialise their dogs, isolating them and mistreating them in some cases and not understanding dogs’ territorial and pack nature. The initiative in ‘socialisation’ which is what Dr. Mugford is aiming at has come from the owner in the first instance – that’s where responsibility lies.
The CWU has no problem with dogs or dog ownership. It’s a good thing. But with dog ownership goes responsibility and compliance with the law of the land.
Most dogs and their owners (Royal Mail customers) are not a problem at all. However, there is a significant and sizable minority that is a big problem, causing 3,000 to 4,000 Dog Attacks a year and since the CWU achieved the change in the Dangerous Dogs Act Law, we are at last seeing many of these people prosecuted, taken to court and paying the penalty for the crimes of irresponsibility that have seen thousands of our members attacked, terrorised, badly injured and left with disabilities year on year.
The jointly agreed CWU and Royal Mail advice to Postal delivery staff is what we stick by and what is supported by many, many experts from many organisations. That is a zero tolerance, no risk approach, backed up by the revised Dangerous Dogs Act Law that the CWU campaign achieved with firm enforcement by the Police and the Courts. Alongside which we continue to raise awareness amongst the public and our membership and encourage responsible dog ownership and customers working with us to take basic sensible precautions to avoid dogs attacking Postal workers and of course Telecom workers also.
A copy of the offending press article is attached.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB562/16 Dog Attacks – Daily Mirror and Independent Articles
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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