The postman being chased by a dog is a bit of a music-hall joke - a stock situation guaranteed to raise a laugh. However, for the postmen and women involved in such situations in real life, it is no laughing matter.

To be attacked by a dog can at best be frightening. At its worst, it can result in real physical injury - as in the case of Cleckheaton postman Simon Healey, who last week won damages after a Springer spaniel sank its teeth into his groin.

The RSPCA's subsequent offer to train postal staff how to deal with dangerous animals should make a welcome contribution to the safety of the people whose job is to deliver the letters to our doors.

But it is not only postmen and women whose work takes them into people's gardens and homes. There is a whole range of other workers who also run the risk of a close encounter with someone else's dog motivated by a strong instinct to protect its territory. And, of course, there is the ongoing problem of stray dogs which can also turn nasty in the street.

However good the training that the RSPCA is able to give, the most important influence on safety must remain responsible dog ownership. Too many people still do not take those responsibilities seriously enough. Not only is it wrong to let their pets roam, but they should also bear in mind the RSPCA call for them to ensure that animals are kept under control, particularly when they know that strangers are likely to approach the house.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.