Police do not take dog attacks on postal delivery workers seriously enough, union leaders have said.
The claim comes after postman Keith Davies suffered severe arm injuries when he was savaged by two rottweilers.
Communication Workers Union health and safety officer Dave Joyce said some police officers did not know enough about the law on dangerous dogs.
Mr Davies, 54, underwent a six-hour operation following the attack in Trumpington, near Cambridge, on Monday.
Mr Joyce said: "We want to see the police taking dog attacks more seriously - too often they don't, although some forces are better than others.
"Too often we are pushing for action and giving police advice on what the law is and what they can do."
He said the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act had "failed" and called for new legislation to allow the authorities to act earlier, with anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) for dogs.
"There seems to be a cartoon caricature image of dogs biting postmen. Being attacked by a dog isn't funny"
The current law does not apply to private property which is where attacks on staff are most likely to take place, he added.
"Too many times postmen and women are cannon fodder for these animals," Mr Joyce said.
"There seems to be a cartoon caricature image of dogs biting postmen. Being attacked by a dog isn't funny."
"Keith Davies almost had his arm ripped off. We regularly see our staff having fingers bitten off or their faces bitten. People are traumatised for life."
Mr Davies was filling in for the regular postman on a round when the dogs got past the gates of a large property.
Anthony Lunn, 44, who was carrying out building work next door, tried to fight off the dogs with an iron bar and ran one of them over with his van.
Cambridgeshire Police said the dogs had been destroyed and is making inquiries.
The Royal Mail has launched its own investigation.
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