Dog which bit Chorley postman must be muzzled when outside

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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A DOG which bit a postman must be kept muzzled and on a lead when outside its house, a court has ruled.

The dog’s owner Connor Ellison, 19, of Back Lane, Charnock Richard, appeared before magistrates in Leyland in a civil action brought by Chorley Council.

The court ordered he must keep his dog under proper control, that it must be muzzled and on a lead when outside his home and that the postbox must be moved to outside the gate of the property.

He was also ordered to pay £1,165 in costs.

The postman contacted Chorley Council after being bitten on the calf by the Alsation on June 7, just as he returned to his van which was parked on the roadside opposite the gate at the entrance to the farm in Back Lane.

He had just delivered mail to the house which he’d delivered to for the past couple of years. He knew he had to put the mail inside the porch as there was no letter box and that on previous occasions he’d seen a small dog, although not on this day.

The court was told that as the postman walked back to his van he heard barking from a large dog and heard it running down the drive. Just before he could open the van door the dog lunged at him, grabbed his right leg and bit his calf. A man shouted to the dog and it ran back to him.

The wound became infected and the postman needed hospital treatment and was left with a scar.

Mr Ellison was interviewed under caution by Chorley Council officers and claimed the Alsation was a family pet and was only trying to play, although he did admit the dog was ‘excitable’ and ‘hyper’.

However, the court heard that Mr Ellison admitted the dog was dangerous and not kept under proper control.

Councillor Eric Bell who oversees the control of dogs for Chorley Council said: “This dog bit a postman who was only doing his job, it is right and proper for us to bring this action against the dog’s owner and the court has agreed.

“It underlines the importance of people taking responsibility for their pets – and if they don’t we will take action.

“People must keep their dogs under control either on a lead if they are out with them, or even if they are on private property where others, such as postmen, have access as in this case.

“We also need people to ensure that if a dog is in a garden or yard it is properly walled, fenced and gated so the dog can’t get out on its own.“

[Straight4ward]

Blimey! Well done Chorley Council for bringing the action.

I can't imagine the council down our way bothering to do anything about a similar incident.