The Communication Workers Union has welcomed the launch of a government consultation aimed at strengthening the Dangerous Dogs Act.

Issueing several Letters To Branches on the issue, including a thorough update in LTB196/10, Dave Joyce, CWU Health, Safety and Environment Officer who has led on this issue; has been commended by the NW BTU H&S Co-ord.

Derek Maylor, Chair of the co-ord said, " Dave really has put everything into this campaign to highlight the serious threat that dangerous dogs pose to CWU members. The list of injuries sustained by our members going about their normal business duties is appalling. In particular our postal colleagues seem to suffer more than most workers."

The stated aims of the review - which has been long campaigned for by the CWU and a growing number of other organisations - will be to streamline current legislation to better protect the public, help police and local authorities tackle those who abuse the law and also to stop the abuse suffered by the dogs themselves at the hands of irresponsible owners.

Among new laws being considered are the introduction of Dog Control Notices (dog "ASBOs"), compulsory microchipping for dogs and compulsory third-party insurance so that dogs and their owners can be more easily traced and the extension of the law to cover attacks on private property as well as public places.

Dave Joyce, CWU Health, Safety and Environment Officer, who has tirelessly led the union's 'Bite-Back' campaign to get the law changed has met Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Ministers at Defra and the Home Office to put the case for changing what he describes as the UK's "woefully inadequate" dangerous dogs laws.

Dave commented: "The government's announcement is a major breakthrough that comes after a long battle to change the law and the public perception of the serious problem faced by postal workers who suffer the pain and injury of 6,000 of dog attacks every year without protection of the law.

The government's proposals now pave the way for a legal framework which will hold to account irresponsible, reckless owners of dangerous animals. This will now hopefully apply when postmen and women, as well as other workers such as telephone engineers, go onto private land and enforcers will have new powers to issue Dog Control Orders - a bit like dog ASBOs - to help prevent attacks."

Speaking after two of the UK's most senior Cabinet figures, Home Secretary Alan Johnson and Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, unveiled proposals to toughen up laws against out-of-control animals, Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, said: "This is a long-overdue, but extremely welcome step."

Billy Hayes stressed that the CWU supports each of the proposed changes to the law.

"Not only is there a pressing need to tackle what is a serious and growing social problem in our communities - attacks on members of the public and even young children from within dog owners' own families - there has also been a frightening increase in attacks on public-service workers," he pointed out.

And the extension of the law to cover attacks taking place on private property would, explained Billy, "provide urgently needed legal protections for workers who have to enter private premises in the course of their duty.

"Our members - postwomen and postmen in particular, but also telecoms engineers on domestic calls - are regularly bitten by dogs that have been either left unattended in front gardens or are simply not under control. Thousands of our members are attacked in such circumstances - over the past year, such incidents have risen by 20 per cent - and, for these workers, there is often no legal redress. This reform cannot come soon enough."

The CWU will be participating in this consultation and will, once again, urge the Government to tighten up the law as soon as possible.

In the meantime Dave Joyce says in his LTB196/10 issued to update members on the progress of the campaign around the country;

"70% of dog attacks on Postal workers occur on private premises such as in front garden, on paths and driveways and some of the most serious dog attacks of recent years have happened on private land. There are a significant number of aggressive dogs and irresponsible owners who need to be dealt with.

The lack of protection against attacks on private property where a dog is permitted to be is a "gaping hole" in the Dangerous Dogs Act. The current legislation is not working and statistics show that the number of people treated in hospital for dog bites has doubled since the Dangerous Dogs Act was introduced."

You can download LTB196/10 in full here

Download the consultation document from the E-Library by clicking on the pic to the right

Source: CWU / DEFRA