Royal Mail today (30 June 2025) announced that 2,197 dog attacks on its staff were reported over the past year, marking a 2% increase compared to the previous reporting period. The figure equates to an average of 42 attacks every week across the UK, with some leading to permanent and disabling injuries.

This year saw a reduction in attacks causing serious and significant injury to postal workers - but they are still unacceptably high. There were 74 significant injuries recorded in 2024/25 compared to the 82 reported in 2023/24 – a 10% reduction.

The figures have been released at the start of the 13th annual Dog Awareness Week, which will run from 30 June to 6 July and encourages responsible dog ownership. Royal Mail is appealing to dog owners to ensure they understand the often-devastating impact of dog attacks on postmen and postwomen and take proper measures to ensure their pets pose no threat to delivery postal workers through responsible dog ownership.

Highest-risk location was the S (Sheffield) postcode where 66 postal workers suffered dog attacks, followed by the PO (Portsmouth) postcode area with 60 attacks and the TN (Kent/Sussex/Surrey) postcode area third with 56 attacks. (See below for more details on the top 10 dog attack hot-spots.)

As in previous years, nearly half of dog attacks, 1,005 (46%), took place at the front door. A further 606 (28%) dog attacks took place in the garden, drive or yard. There were 183 (8%) attacks in the street or road.

There were 403 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.

Dog attacks on Royal Mail colleagues resulted in 2,700 days of absence in 2024/25 with the longest period of absence being 108 days.

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

 
1st
The S (Sheffield) postcode area experienced a concerning 61% increase in dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers this year, in stark contrast to an 18% decrease the previous year. A total of 66 attacks were reported in 2024/25, up from 41 in 2023/24. Notably, the S postcode area has consistently appeared on every high-risk list for dog attacks since postcode-specific data began being reported. This is the fourth time it has been the most dangerous location for dog attacks.

2nd 
Dog attacks in the PO (Portsmouth) were marginally down on last year – with 60 attacks compared to 62 for 2023/24 – equating to a 3% drop. The postcode area came joint top of dangerous locations for dog attacks last year. The PO postcode area has featured in the top, most high-risk areas for dog attacks for eight consecutive years and nine in total since Royal Mail began publishing attack figures. 

3rd  
The TN (Kent/Sussex/Surrey) postcode area recorded a 33% increase in dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers this year, following a 35% decrease in 2023/24. A total of 56 attacks were reported in the latest period, up from 42 the previous year. The TN postcode area has appeared on the list of most dangerous areas for dog attacks for 11 consecutive years and ranked as the most dangerous location for postal workers in 2023/24.

4th 
This is the second time the GU (Guildford) postcode area has featured on the high-risk list since 19/20. The 54 attacks reported this year show a 29% increase on last year’s 42 incidents. This is the sixth time the postcode area has appeared in the most dangerous locations list for dog attacks since Royal Mail began reporting postcode specific figures.

5th
The NG (Nottingham) postcode saw 49 dog attacks on postal workers this year. This is a 17% increase on the 42 attacks in 2023/24. This is the fifth consecutive year that the NG postcode area has appeared in the list of most dangerous locations for dog attacks – last year it was the 6th most unsafe location in the UK for dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers. The postcode area has featured in the high-risk locations nine times since Royal Mail began reporting postcode specific figures.

6th 
The CM (Chelmsford) and BN (Brighton) postcode areas are the joint sixth highest-risk locations with 47 dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers reported in each location.

The BN (Brighton) postcode area recorded 47 dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers this year—a slight 2% decrease from the 48 incidents reported in 2023/24. This marks the ninth consecutive year the BN area has appeared on the high-risk list since Royal Mail began publishing location-specific data. It ranked as the fourth highest-risk area last year and was the most dangerous location for dog attacks in 2021.

The CM (Chelmsford) postcode area has appeared on the high-risk list for dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers three times since location-specific data was first published. It was first listed in 2018/19, when 38 attacks were reported, and again in 2019/20 with 44 incidents.

7th 
The BT (Belfast) and NE (Newcastle) postcode areas are the seventh joint highest-risk locations with 45 dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers reported in each location.

The BT (Belfast) postcode area saw a 27% drop on dog attacks this year compared to 62 incidents reported in 2023/24. Last year the postcode area was the 2nd most dangerous place for attacks. The BT postcode area has appeared in every dog attack hot-spot list since Royal Mail began releasing location specific date in 2013. It has been the most dangerous location for attacks five times.  

8th 
This is the second time the SN (Swindon) postcode area has featured in the most high-risk locations. This year saw 44 attacks reported, a 10% increase on the 40 incidents in 2022/23. 

9th 
The DN (Doncaster) postcode area has appeared on Royal Mail’s dog attack hot-spot list for the first time since location-specific data began being published in 2013. In the most recent reporting year, 42 attacks on postal workers were recorded—an increase of 31% compared to the 32 incidents reported in 2023/24.

10th 
The ST (Staffordshire) postcode area has entered Royal Mail’s list of most dangerous areas for the first time. This year, 40 dog attacks on postal workers were reported—a 33% rise from the 30 incidents recorded in 2023/24.

 
Lizz Lloyd, Health & Safety Director at Royal Mail, said: “Dog attacks remain one of the most significant safety risks faced by postal workers. In many cases, these incidents result in serious injuries, emotional distress, and time away from work. Royal Mail continues to call on the public to be vigilant and responsible by securing their pets before opening the door to receive mail or packages.

“We continue to invest in safety training and awareness campaigns for both employees and the public but emphasise that community cooperation is essential to reducing these incidents.”

Last year, in partnership with Royal Mail, the Blue Cross launched Protect Your Postie, a free online webinar aimed at dog owners where concerns have been raised about a dog’s behaviour, but no attack has occurred. The hour-long Zoom session offers practical advice on preventing incidents involving postal workers, including understanding canine behaviour, the consequences of incidents, and simple steps to manage dogs more effectively. Participants also receive guidance on where to seek further help, with the goal of preventing escalation and promoting responsible pet ownership.

Between July 2024 and April 2025, the webinar attracted 402 participants across five sessions, with attendance rates averaging just under 50%. July saw the highest attendance rate (64%), while December had the largest number of attendees (133). Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive—100% of participants reported feeling more confident managing their dogs around postal workers. These figures reflect strong and consistent community engagement, highlighting the value of proactive education in promoting safety for both pets and people.

Customers can register in advance to attend a webinar.

 
Ellenore King-Voisin a postwoman for three years, based in Farnborough, tells her story:

It was June 2024, and I was delivering mail to a property on my round that I had been to many times before. The customers there were very proud of the two rescue dogs they had. I had seen the dogs before so was aware that one of them had an aggressive temperament, so I was always quite wary when I was delivering to the property.

On that particular day the customer, had his front door open as he was working on his car.  As I approached, I noticed the calmer of the two dogs at the door. She looked at me and I froze. The dog then went back inside and then both dogs returned to the door and at that point I realised I just didn't stand a chance. There was no tree for me to climb – there was nothing for me to hide behind. The second dog just charged – with no hesitation at all.

The dog jumped up at me and bit me three times just above the right knee. When I looked down, I could see the flesh on my leg hanging and the fat tissue that had literally burst open looked like little yellow marbles on the floor. I'd never seen anything like it before.

Then the adrenalin and my fight or flight senses kicked in. I knew that the dog would not stop attacking me if I didn’t do something, so I started screaming, and then the owner and his daughter came rushing out. I also startled the dog as she ran back into the house.  I had to do my own First Aid as the man and his daughter were crying.

I was taken to A&E, where they gave me a tetanus, disinfected the wound, glued it closed and gave me some antibiotics to prevent any infection.  However, I still ended up with an infection and was ill with a fever for about five days. In total I was on sick leave for three weeks during which I literally had to keep my leg raised the entire time.

Following the attack, I had to have a few counselling sessions. Looking at my leg, a surgeon might say the wound has healed nicely. But it’s a huge scar and it’s on my leg, so I am very much aware of it.

Although it was bad, the physical side of the attack wasn’t the worst part of the attack – it’s the effect on my mental wellbeing. After being off for three weeks, I was still traumatised. It took a long time for me to get to a place where I could have a dog in my company.

If I hear or see a dog now – any dog - I'll freeze. I'll literally stop and wait until the owner walks past me because there's no way I'm taking a chance. I feel as though I have to be ready to fight off an attack rather than it happen and I’m not aware.

Following the attack the police were notified. The customer received a police caution as this was the first reported incident. They also put a huge parcel and mailbox at the bottom of the road, this measure prevents posties from having to approach the house.

It’s still very difficult for me to talk about the attack but I really want to help raise awareness of the issues we face as posties. If I had to say one thing to a customer who has a pet dog, it’s don't take any chances. Make sure. Secure your property and secure your dog. It really doesn’t take long.

 
Royal Mail continues to push for changes in the law to reflect the severity of these attacks as a further form of protection for its people. Following changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act in England and Wales that came into force in May 2014, Royal Mail has carried out over 30 private prosecutions against dog owners. This has punished offenders and further raised awareness. It is hoped that these actions will prevent further attacks by forcing owners to put in place control measures to ensure a dog does not attack again.

We have also successfully launched two actions in the High Court that settled the law in relation to the criminal liability of dog owners when postal workers have their fingers bitten while posting items through a letterbox. These cases clarified the law in regard to whether fingers inserted through a letter box amounted to a trespass and thus gave the householder a potential defence.  The Court held that provided it was for the purpose of posting mail, no trespass was committed. In summing up the judge mentioned that a cage being fitted would go some way to preventing some of the terrible injuries suffered by our colleagues.

 
Even the most lovable dog can be a danger to postal staff. Dogs are territorial by nature and if they feel they need to protect their family, they can become unpredictable.

Here are some ideas to help your postman or postwoman deliver your post in safety:

• Ensure your dog is out of the way before the postman or postwoman arrives. Place your pet in the back garden or a faraway room.
• Never open the door when your dog is behind you
• If you have a back garden, please close off the access, in case your dog could get around to the front when the postman or postwoman calls.
• Dog attacks can happen when you’ve opened the door to sign for an item. Please keep your dog in another room before answering the door and make sure children don’t open the door, as dogs can push by them and attack.
• Give your dog some food or a toy to occupy them while your mail is being delivered.
• Wait 10 minutes after your mail has arrived to let your pet back into your hallway. Keep everything as calm and low-key as possible.
• If your dog likes to attack your mail, consider installing a wire letter receptacle. It will protect your post, and your postman’s or postwoman’s fingers.
• If it’s not practical for you to keep your dog away from a postman or postwoman delivering your mail, please consider fitting a secure mailbox on the edge of your property.

 
Dog Awareness posters

• English versionpdf, 3.05 MB
• Scottish versionpdf, 3.07 MB
• Welsh versionpdf, 3.09 MB

Postcard

• Customer postcardpdf, 2.28 MB - to display in a window