Royal Mail refuse to deliver because of dangerous dog

There was a news story on our local news yesterday regarding the Royal Mail has refused to deliver any mail to a close of houses because of a dangerous dog that has bitten the Postman 3 times as the owner does not keep it under control. People living there have to collect their post from the nearest Post Office.

I must admit when I heard this story I wasn't expecting it to be the breed of dog it was but was expecting a status dog as they are usually the ones in the news aren't they?

It was a diminutive Yorkshire terrier!

Poor postman-I wonder that the Royal Mail don't issue their staff with alarm sprays in case they have aggressive dogs try to attack them. After all people should keep their dogs away from the postie as he/she is only trying to do their job.

Do you think there will be a campaign to put Yorkies on the dangerous dogs list now?

The owner was laughing about his dog being dangerous but so not funny.

Many moons ago my husband was very badly bitten by a GSD and a greyhound when he was delivering milk so I don't come to this with a clean slate as it were. I find it hard to accept anyone would allow their dog to bite someone or inconvenience their neighbours in this way. Actually it does tell a bit about the person that they are allowing their lack of care to affect the neighbours really.

My Dog (inuit) hates the postman and the postman is scared stiff of him.

I don't let the dog in the garden out the front until I know hes been but a couple of times the postmans been late and the dog is out he just stands at the gate until I come out.

The funny thing is my terrier does the exact same behaviour she dashes out of the cat flap run to the gate barking he smiles at her comes in the gate she runs around him wagging her tail he puts the post in the letter box strokes her and goes back out the gate.

Becuse one dog looks more scary he won't come in.
But my inuit will let anyone else come in often i doorbell will ring and there will be a delivery man or woman with the dog stood beside them.
I think If the person shows they are scared it makes the dog worse.

My husband used to work with a man and he used to get bitten by dogs all the time he was not a dog person. The dog would always bit him and not my husband.
I think fair enough if you can keep your dog under control while someone is doing a job you can expect them to come to your house.

Agree completely, the implication in this story seems to be that a lot of the neighbours in the close have been chased, barked, snapped at etc by the dog.

I think it is wrong that the owner is not collecting other residents post for them when it is her fault that the post is not being delivered. A friend of mine is a solicitor, a client of hers was in a similar situation, no post would be delivered in her road because of her dog. She did at least get the neighbour's permission to collect their post for them so they did not have to make a special journey. Speaks volumes about the mentaility of some people I think.

i actually take great issue with the fact that if this dog wasnt a yorkie and was infact a status dog, then the dog would be at risk of PTS under the DDA but because its a yorkie its owner just gets a slap on the wrist..

Totally wrong.

As for the postman thing, well our postman is a nightmare, he is terrified of my dog, who has never so much as looked in his direction, if he has to ring my bell for anything, when I open it he is half down my path shaking visibly.... I dont let the dog out, but just pull the door behind me, but if you have such a fear of dogs that you shake with the sound of one, then I think you should be in a line of work where you wont meet them every day!!

I wouldn't find it particularly funny if a neighbour of mine (if I had any ) let their dog bite the postman so he then stopped delivering to my house too. I can understand the postman not wanting to deliver to the house where the dog lives, and actually think that is totally fair enough, but to inconvenience every one else in the close is rather unfair - mainly by the dog owner himself, but also by the PO.

I think I would be knocking on the guy's door and telling him in no uncertain terms to control his dog!

Same here. I'd be absolutely fuming. We used to take our neighbours mail for them because the postie was scared to death of their dog but she was contained in her garden. Not letting the dogs out until the post had been wasn't an option as it could arrive any time between 9am and 2pm.

Only one of ours posties has been at all bothered by Rupert, she'd stand at the gate and shout if the door was open. We'd quite often go out to find Rupert with his front paws on top of the gate giving the usual postman kisses and being sweet talked

I ended up buying one of those postboxes that attach to the outside of our fence, so the dogs could be left outside on nice days without the fear of them accosting Mr Postie.

I do agree with you here Dani. We have three posties who take turns delivering up here and one is absolutely TERRIFIED of the dogs (and I mean totally terrified - even of puppies, he must have a phobia). I remember seeing him dithering outside our gate when Yogi was a tiny little pup and out in the garden, before I had the postbox on the outside of the fence, and he ended up blowing his horn as he wouldn't dare come in. I asked if he would like to meet Yogi (who was only about 9 or 10 weeks at the time) but he said not likely and scuttled off as fast as he could, looking back all the time as though he were being chased by a pack of wolves!

I appreciate not everyone likes dogs, and that some are scared of dogs, but as a postman/woman, surely they must realise that they are going to come in to contact with lots of dogs on a daily basis

Took my husband a long time to get over his fear after being bitten - perhaps your postie has reason to be fearful ? He left his job in the end and now works where he should never meet any dogs sad he had to change his way of life over it.