For dog besieged postmen and women in the CT postcode are, Royal Mail has today launched Dog Awareness Week to lower the threat of bites and attacks.

The publicity campaign, which runs from today until Friday, sees Royal Mail working together with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and animal organisations to raise awareness.

Chas Basra, Royal Mail’s delivery director for Canterbury, said about 19 postmen and women were attacked across the CT postcode area from April 2013 to April 2014.

He added: “Following the success of last year’s campaign, there is growing awareness of the issue of dog attacks and the problems our postmen and women face when they are delivering the mail.

"However, last year there were still too many incidents in the CT postcode area and we need to reduce this number further as even one dog attack on our people is one too many."

He said even the most placid of dogs can attack if they feel their territory is being threatened.

It is not just posties at risk, paper boys and girls, canvassers and even friends and neighbours posting notes and birthday cards are at risk.

Attacks rise during the school holidays and in the summer months when parents and children are at home and dogs are sometimes allowed unsupervised in the garden, or out onto the street without restraints.

He added: "Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety of our people who provide a valuable service to our customers. We appeal to dog owners in the CT postcode area to keep their pets under control, especially if they know their pets have a territorial nature."

How you can help:

• Ensure your dog is out of the way before the postman or woman arrives. Place your pet in the back garden or a faraway room.

• Check your dog can't get out of the back garden and round to the front, where it could potentially attack.

• Keep your dog in another room before answering the door to sign for an item. 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.

• Get a wire letter receptacle to protect your post and your postman’s fingers or consider fitting a secure mailbox on the edge of your property.