Dog attack forces posties out of area

Dog attack forces posties out of area

3 July 2013

THE Royal Mail has suspended delivery services to part of the Kennedy Square estate in Downpatrick after a postman was attacked by a dog.

The postman was delivering mail on Monday of last week when he was bitten by an Alsatian, sustaining bruising to his arm. Postal services were immediately suspended when the man informed Royal Mail what had happened.

Since June 24, people who live at Kennedy Square who want their post have to collect it at the Royal Mail’s sorting office at the Ballydugan Road industrial estate in Downpatrick.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said postal services to the Kennedy Square estate remain temporarily suspended and that residents in almost 60 homes are affected.

She said the organisation takes the health and safety of its employees very seriously and is seeking assurances from the dog owner that the animal will be kept secured and not allowed to roam about the estate while Royal Mail undertakes deliveries.

“We apologise to all affected customers and would like to assure them that we are working with the owner and Down Council’s dog warden to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,” said the spokeswoman.

“In the meantime, affected customers can continue to collect their mail from the Downpatrick delivery office on the production of photographic identification.”

Councillor Liam Johnston, who is working closely with Royal Mail and Down Council’s dog warden to resolve the issue, said it’s important this happens as quickly as possible.

A former postman, he revealed he has been attacked by dogs on several occasions while delivering mail, explaining such incidents can be quite traumatic.

“The Royal Mail has a duty of care to its employees and that is why the organisation has quite rightly suspended postal services to Kennedy Square,” he said.

“My one concern is that there are a number of pensioners and disabled people who live at the estate, not all of whom will be able to make their way to the sorting office to collect their mail.”

Councillor Johnston said people on benefit could be hit by the temporary suspension of mail as they won’t get letters from the Social Security Agency advising them to attend for important interviews about various aspects of the benefits they receive.

He added: “In my opinion, the only way Royal Mail can restore delivery services to Kennedy Square is that if the dog which attacked the postman is taken away to prevent an incident like this from ever happening again in an area where there are also a number of children.”