Postmen back delivery driver who kicked blind dog to death

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.aol.com/articles/postmen-ba ... 40000.html

Postmen have come out in defence of a delivery driver who kicked a blind dog to death.

A Royal Mail worker kicked Ethel, a Shih Tzu, in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, last week, causing the pet to suffer organ failure.

The driver was reportedly suspended by Royal Mail – but postal workers have spoken out in defence of his actions.

One postman said: “I kicked a terrier that bit my leg to get it off me, and I would do it again.

“I would say about 10 of us in my office have been bitten. It’s very common, and it’s always the dogs that have ‘never done that before’.

Royal Mail promised to pay Ethel’s family’s vet bills and launched an investigation into the incident.

Eve Lewis, Ethel’s owner, said her dog was partially blind and only had one tooth.

But postal workers said it can be impossible to judge which dogs should be considered a threat, even when dog owners claim their pet is peaceful.

One postman added: “I felt for that dog and the owner but I also felt for the postie.

“If you have been bitten, or been threatened with being bitten, it makes you scared. They come snapping at your ankles and it’s frightening.”

“I’m on his side,” a postman based in the South East said. “If you know the area you can do your best to keep safe – if you don’t then you’re supposed to not take any risks.”

Postal workers on social media also defended the worker’s actions, saying the dog appeared not to be under control in the footage.

Others noted that dog owners often insist their pet is “just being friendly”, even in the wake of an attack.

Owners often laugh off attacks on postmen
There were some 2,019 dog attacks against postal workers last year, according to Royal Mail, 61 of which caused significant injuries.

More than half of the attacks happened at the front door, and one in four took place in a garden, drive or yard.

Some 324 attacks took place through letterboxes, where dog owners are legally responsible for the actions of their pets, according to High Court precedent.

Owners often “laugh off” serious injuries. A postman who was left bleeding last year by a dog he had been reassured was safe, warned: “The vast majority of dog owners, I’ve found to be thoughtless and laugh it off. It seems to be socially acceptable somehow for your dog to attack the postman.”

Royal Mail has asked dog owners to be more responsible for their pets.

The company offers online lessons aimed at dog owners, and has urged owners to install wire letter receptacles or keep their dog in another room.

Lizz Lloyd, health and safety director at Royal Mail, said: “These incidents remain a serious risk to postal workers, resulting in painful injuries and lasting distress. Every attack is one too many.

“We’re urging dog owners to take simple steps, such as keeping pets secure before opening the door, to help keep our people safe.”

Katy Davies, a postman in Bristol, needed stitches for puncture wounds and suffered tendon damage from a dog attack.


She said: “Dogs are naturally territorial animals and, however well behaved they may normally be, they can sometimes react unpredictably.

“The dog approached me at speed from behind and everything happened so quickly that I had no time to react. I suddenly felt the impact as it clamped onto my lower leg, knocking me off my feet.”

Royal Mail gives stickers to mark addresses with risky dogs on their post frames, but it’s an uphill battle to keep postal workers safe.

Attacks increase during school holidays, when children are at home and rush to open the front door, postal workers said.

Royal Mail puts up posters in depots to warn of dog attacks during the summer holidays, telling postal workers not to deliver packages if they don’t feel safe, it is understood.

“I give Royal Mail a lot of grief for things, but they don’t mess around with dog bites and staff safety,” a postman said. “I know the dogs on my walk after three years, but I’m still wary if they’re loose.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Dog-related incidents can present a serious risk to postal workers. We take our responsibility to protect colleagues very seriously.

“Dog owners have an important role to play by keeping pets secure and away from the door when deliveries are being made.”