Campaign to protect postal staff from dog attacks

Guernsey Post said police officers have been involved in some incidents

Guernsey Post has issued customers with information cards aimed at protecting their staff from dog attacks.

The postal service said "in the past few months our posties have been bitten four times and reported 53 near misses".

Shelley Carberry, health and safety manager at Guernsey Post, said: "We have a duty of care to protect our staff, and we’re committed to working with customers to keep our posties safe."

The card includes advice on how to keep dogs away from postal workers and can also be put in a window to warn staff that the house has a dog.

Mrs Carberry said the incidents often occurred when dog owners answered their door and inadvertently allowed their pet to run out.

She said: "Additionally, we’ve noticed a rise in near misses, often happening when our posties enter gardens to deliver mail where there’s no signage indicating a dog may be present.

"In these situations, dogs can become protective of their territory, perceiving our posties as a potential threat."

Guernsey Post said protecting their staff would help make its service as reliable as possible

Mrs Carberry said: "We encourage the use of designated safe places for deliveries, especially where dogs are present, as avoiding knocking on the door reduces stress for both the dogs and our team.

"We have had a few cases requiring police reports, and where necessary, we work closely with customers to identify suitable alternative delivery points to ensure a safe and reliable service for everyone involved."