Local mayoress attacked by dog

A local mayoress is 'scarred for life' when she lost the end of her finger while posting leaflets.

She says she was shocked when she pushed a leaflet through the door and withdrew her hand to find part of her finger missing

Apparently she was pushing the leaflet well in so that it could not be seen by burglars when the dog attacked. She didn't hear any sign of a dog otherwise she'd have been doubly cautious.

The dog didn't live there and was being looked after by the resident of the house who says the dog was asleep by the front door and was startled when a leaflet came through the door.
The owner of the house was horrified when she went to pick the leaflet up and found a fingertip. She immediately rang round to find out who it belonged to but doctors were unable to reattach it by this point.

The dog was not a pit bull, not a rottweiler, not a doberman, not a staffy...

It was...
A westie!

Like we all said - don't judge the breed! Any dog can be startled enough to attack.

Ouch

I had a few nips on the hand when I did a paper round twenty years ago.

You soon learn which technique suits which house.

I have one of those baskets on the door that catches the post. Initially it was to stop my spaniel shredding the post however the dogs really do 'go at' the letterbox when the postman comes.

I'm not sure about the legal stance but I wouldn't be too happy at leaving the basket off just in case.

but I guess in this instance, the dog didn't live in the house. The mayoress said people should be protecting outsiders from having their fingers nipped etc. but why would you have a basket if you didn't have a dog usually.

Takara used to go at the letter box so we were going to get one as she used to get her nose through the box but she now runs and hides under the kitchen table to bark - great guard dog she is - so we don't have to worry lol

I don't think it was the dog. When I worked in insurance claims we had a claim from someone who lost their finger tip in the actual letterbox, the flap took the tip off. I would have thought if the dog had bitten right through it would have chewed or swallowed the fingertip.
Becky

Exactly what I was going to say, I've heard of that so may times especially with highly sprung letter box flaps.

I'd have thought she would've heard the dog when she first lifted the letterbox flap if it was that bothered.

I've known a few Westies who would do that, like all terriers you have to let them know who is boss right from the start and I think because of Westie's cute, fluffy image sometimes they get the upper hand with inexerienced owners.

Sorry Hahahahahahahahahaahaha.

Years ago I used to run my own Slimming Club and I was out putting some leaflets through doors.

Normally, I was very careful for just that reason, in case a dog bit my fingers.

Anyway, at one door I must have lost concentration and I put my fingers through the letterbox, whereupon the leaflet was pushed back through the letterbox and I felt something huge and furry at my fingers !

It made me jump and I pulled my hand back quick and I looked down (it was a slightly frosted glass door) to see this huge Newfoundland sitting staring back out at me.

He hadn't attempted to bite, it was just that I felt his fur as his big head pushed this leaflet back to me !

I put it back through the letterbox again and he just gazed at it falling to the floor and promptly put his head down and presumably went back to the sleep from which I had awakened him !

ah I didn't think of that... but it probably was the letter box that took the fingertip off. I was a little unsure as to why the fingertip hadn't been swallowed...

The woman said on national tv that she heard a 'an' type noise as the dog bit her finger lol

In my opinion, if a terrier type dog had bitten her, it wouldn't have just dropped the fingertip, surely.

aw radar, bless - I bet it gave you a bit of a shock though... Takara wouldn't just push her head against it, she hates people who invade our house through the letterbox lol

I doubt it would have bitten it off so quickly too!
And surely she would have felt some pain before she brought her hand out of the letter box
lol