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Dogs are not An Post’s best friend as the service revealed its workers took 27 days off last year due to attacks by them.

Figures obtained by The Kilkenny people showed that there was a 20 percent rise in bites or attacks in the past five years with almost three workers being affected every week.

There were 137 recorded incidents in 2016 with only 115 in 2012 as number has been steadily increasing each year.

In the first half of this year, 75 attacks were recorded which resulted in 13 days been taken off.

Spokesperson for An Post Angus Laverty told the regional publication that staff can ignore their legal commitments to deliver mail if they feel their safety is at risk.

“An Post has a legal commitment to deliver to all addresses. We also have a duty to reduce risks and prevent injury to employees at work.”

“Staff are under no obligation to deliver mail to an address where they feel they might be at risk. We would also ask householders to be mindful of potential incidents that might occur.”

Laverty went on to say that the company reports incidents of attacks to both the Gardai and local dog wardens.

“It is policy on such incidents to report them. There is also a set procedure in place for potentially suspending mail services to a customer until the matter is resolved.”

An Post employs approximately 10,000 staff across the country and according to their spokesperson the “bulk” of the dog attacks are understood to have taken place in urban areas and on the owner’s property.”

Last march, a postman was awarded €103,000 by the High Court after a German Shepherd attack left him hospitalised with severe wounds.