PROTECTION FROM DOGS (Hansard, 22 October 1968)

§ Mr. Peter Doig (Dundee, West)
I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to compel dog owners to display a warning notice on their outside gate; and for connected purposes. In my constituency, in Dundee, 100 postmen are bitten every year by dogs. If Dundee is the same as other places, then 25,000 postmen in Britain are bitten every year by dogs. What is the normal procedure when a postman is bitten? The Post Office sends out a warning letter.—[Laughter.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. Last Thursday's adjournment debate is over.

§ Mr. Doig
The Post Office sends out a warning letter to the owner of the dog saying that in future the mail will not be delivered if he does not keep his dog under control. But who do you suppose delivers that letter? [Laughter.] Hon. Members may laugh, but it is not a laughing matter for the postman. One postman was bitten by Her Majesty the Queen's corgi when delivering a letter to Balmoral Castle.
I wish to read short extracts from two of the many letters which I have received on this subject. The first says: For 21 years I have been running the gauntlet from uncontrolled and badly trained dogs. On numerous occasions I have suffered the indignity of torn clothing and flesh. Ten days ago a collie sneaked up from behind, sank his teeth in my left leg, and I am now off work nursing this wound. The next letter, from another postman, says Personally, I have been bitten three or four times. Due to this the skin was broken and medical treatment was needed. I have been thrown from my cycle by an aggressive dog, fractured my skull and spent three weeks in hospital, not to mention the hundreds of frights, nips in the trousers and real alarm that I have had as a consequence."[Laughter.] This may be a laughing matter for hon. Members, but to someone confronted with this situation it is not a laughing matter; it is very serious.
There are many people besides postmen who have this problem and whose job necessitates their calling at houses to deliver such things as bread, milk and coal, but no record is kept in their case. Only the postmen appear to keep a record. There are men who call on houses to repair gas or electricity installations and bin men employed by the 1095 local council, all of whom must go into the grounds of houses, and they run this risk. Even my hon. Friend the Member for Kirkcaldy Burghs (Mr. Gourlay) was bitten when employed in this capacity. This is a very serious and widespread problem. It causes worry and apprehension to many people. Many people have been known to give up a job which they liked because of the worry, and if one gets a number of bites one's worry and apprehension increases.
I am told that in one city in Canada postmen carry with them a dog repellant which, apparently, has the effect of making the dog go away. It is worth while the Postmaster-General making inquiries to see whether it is as effective as I have been told it is, so that he can ensure that our postmen are equipped with it.
This danger from dogs is widespread. The public are warned about other dangers. If a farmer has a dangerous bull in a field, he puts up a notice saying, "Beware of the bull". If there is dangerous machinery in a factory, the factory owner has to put up a warning notice pointing out that it is dangerous machinery. Dogs are obviously dangerous to a large number of people. They are particularly dangerous when people invade what they regard as their territory, home and grounds. If one has to enter on premises, I can assure hon. Members that it is a very tricky business. Dogs have it bred in them to guard their territory against any strangers, and it is not a very pleasant thing when one has to go on their territory.
I appeal to hon. Members to agree to allow the Bill to be read the First time.