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Royal Mail welcomes independent inquiry's recommendations for tackling dog attacks on postal workers. 

Royal Mail yesterday welcomed an independent report calling for new legislation with tougher legal sanctions to be introduced against owners of dogs which attack postmen and women.

The announcement comes after the publication of the findings of the independent inquiry, commissioned by Royal Mail Group’s Chairman Donald Brydon, into dog attacks on postal workers.

Over 3000 postmen and women were attacked across the UK by dogs from April 2011 to April 2012.

The inquiry, led by former High Court Judge Sir Gordon Langley, recommends that new legislation should be introduced to provide for tougher legal sanctions against owners of dangerous dogs.

The report highlights that the legal sanctions currently available in England and Wales when dogs attack people on private property are largely limited to action against the dog, e.g.  issue of a control order or an order that the dog be destroyed. 

Tougher measures are available under existing law against owners whose dogs attack people in public places. But, these sanctions cannot be applied where the attack takes place on private property.

This means that for postmen and women - who each have to visit hundreds of private addresses on their delivery rounds every day – the legal protection against attacks by dogs is limited. 

The Langley Report calls on Parliament to repeal current legislation and provide a new statute which removes this loophole, enabling criminal sanctions to be taken against owners of dogs which attack people, wherever the attack takes place.

Such new laws have already been introduced in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The report also calls for the compulsory microchipping of all dogs within three years – to enable dangerous dogs and their owners to be more easily identified.  

The report recommends that Royal Mail gets tougher on dog attacks. Royal Mail has announced that it will act on the report’s two key recommendations related to the company, by: 

Sir Gordon Langley, who led the inquiry, commented: “It is a matter of real concern to learn of the extent and frequency of attacks on postal workers and to find that for a considerable time there has been almost general agreement not only on the inadequacies of the present law in England but also on the nature of the reforms required to address it, but to date it remains unchanged.” 

Donald Brydon CBE, Chairman, Royal Mail Group, commented: “Dog attacks cause injuries and terrible trauma to our staff. Nobody should have to endure this and our staff are at an increased risk of such attacks simply because of the job they do. 

“We welcome the findings in Sir Gordon Langley’s independent report, especially his call for an urgent reform of the laws in England and Wales. We have also taken on board his comments that Royal Mail should take a more robust approach with customers whose dogs attack postmen and women. We will adjust our policies immediately.” 

Media inquiries: 

Tim Cowen
Director of Consumer and Business Media Relations
Royal Mail Group Ltd
100 Victoria Embankment
London
EC4Y 0HQ
07720 412143
020 7250 2468
tim.cowen@royalmail.com

Follow us on twitter @RoyalMailNews

Notes to editors 

1. The main relevant legislation into dangerous dogs:
   The Dogs Act 1871 provides that a complaint may be made to a Magistrates Court if a dog is dangerous and not kept under proper control. The Act covers private property as well as public places but it is limited in that the sanctions available under this Act are aimed more at the dog than the owner. They are limited to an order that the owner keeps the dog under control, or that the dog be destroyed. There is no provision for compensation to anyone injured by the dog.  The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is aimed at particular types of dog, and is designed especially to impose restrictions on the ownership of dogs bred for fighting. It extends to public and private places but is severely limited in that it does not extend to private places where a dog is permitted to be. This means that it does not apply to the ‘home’ of a dog, yet this is where most attacks on postal workers occur. 
2. Background on the Scottish and Northern Irish laws:
   The Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 amends the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act to extend to dogs dangerously out of control in any place whether public or private. It replaces the 1871 Act with a regime of dog control notices which can be issued by local authorities without application to the courts
   The Dogs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 also extends the law to private property. Responsibility for enforcement is placed on local authorities. The 1871 Act is left in place and not repealed. The NI law also provides for the compulsory microchipping and registration of dogs as part of a licensing scheme. 
3. Sir Gordon Langley:
   Sir Gordon was called to the Bar in 1966 and practiced for 29 years, being appointed as Queen’s Counsel in 1983. In 1995 he became a High Court Judge, both as a Judge sitting in the Commercial Court and at the Bar his practice has been focused on Commercial litigation. Since retiring as a Judge Sir Gordon Langley sits as an Arbitrator. 
4. Why Royal Mail Group commissioned the inquiry:
   There are between three and four thousand dog attacks on Royal Mail employees each year, resulting in injuries - many severe - and considerable trauma.  The number of attacks remains unacceptably high. 

The Inquiry aimed to:

• seek to ascertain why so many employees are subject to dog attacks whilst delivering mail
• consider the background and human consequences of continuing dog attacks on postmen and postwomen
• consider existing relevant laws and regulations and the extent to which they are adequate and enforced
• make recommendations with a view to achieving a reduction in attacks