Dog bites

Barbel · Post by **Barbel** » 15 May 2016, 21:51

Have you ever been bitten by a dog while working at RM and if so how many times? I'm 3.5 years in and have been bitten twice, only by little rats thank goodness so nothing serious although they both drew blood. Just wondering if anyone has had any serious bites resulting in time off work?

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 16 May 2016, 15:01

One of the local office lads lost a "chunk" of his arm http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... rm#p578793" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... rm#p578793" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Don't click on the link in the article unless you have a strong stomach.

But the most famous one is the Peterborough Postie who nearly lost his arm. There was an LTB a few years back on it http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... rm#p404166" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chewster · Post by **Chewster** » 16 May 2016, 15:11

I've had a couple of nips round the ankles from little rat dogs but never had what I'd really call a bite. There's a few alsations on my rounds that I do genuinely worry will one day either smash through the living room glass or jump over the back garden wall, and I don't think I'd stand much chance if they did! There's one house with four, yes FOUR, very aggressive alsations that sit in the window waiting for me. There's been a few bites in my office but none that were serious.

Jpro747 · Post by **Jpro747** » 16 May 2016, 17:02

Twice in 4 years both by collies, and too many close calls to count, one of which was a pitbull terrier and it was the only time I ever ran on delivery

Chewster · Post by **Chewster** » 16 May 2016, 18:25

Yeah I find that collies are the worst. I'm a dog person and I like to think I know dogs so if there's a dog in a garden then I have a look at it and judge whether it looks friendly or aggressive (some will say I just shouldn't go in at all but I'm sure other experienced dog owners on here can also tell whether a dog is aggressive or just excited and barky) and as yet, I've NEVER felt it's been safe for me to go into a garden with a collie on the loose.

So far I've had two occasions where I've absolutely bricked it with dogs on my rounds - one was this big spinone (I think) that got out and came galloping towards me barking all the way but luckily it just wanted to say hello. The other was when I went into a back garden to stick a parcel in a (lockable!) shed. I didn't realise that they kept the dog outside, and when I shut the gate behind me, I turned round to see this HUGE (taller than me when on its hind legs and I'm 6 foot) husky/malamute looking thing running towards me! I thought to myself "well this is it, this monster is gonna tear me apart" but thankfully, it was just friendly and excitable, I think a previous postie had been giving it treats as it straight away stuck it's snout in my pockets lol

nicwarner12 · Post by **nicwarner12** » 16 May 2016, 20:40

My sister did came running out an open door down path straight into back of her calf. Month off work, surgery a good few stitches. 2 years ago still waiting for the compensation. It's a long process.

hans solo · Post by **hans solo** » 16 May 2016, 21:25

a wee mars bar with rat poison stuffed into it soon stops dog bites
as councils and police seem reluctant to do anything about it

ikybear · Post by **ikybear** » 16 May 2016, 21:49

Twice in 8years. And a few mad sprints for the gate.
First was a terrier and the bloke swore he didn't have a dog. Another customer told me he took it into a field and shot it after it bit his kid a week later!
Second was a bloody big Alsatian (SP?) Only a nip thankfully. It got out by accident and the owner jumped between me and the dog.
Lately we've had a lot of Postie's getting bit putting their hands in letterboxes. Fools...

buntin · Post by **buntin** » 17 May 2016, 11:37

speaking personally folks i dont trust ANY dog. You can never say a dogs not gonna bite you can you .l

Post by **Pathfinder** » 17 May 2016, 12:14

Nothing yet but a few close calls !!

Always get the 'he/she won't touch you it's a big softy''

Lou84 · Post by **Lou84** » 17 May 2016, 14:09

Twice in eight years, first by a mixed breed medium sized that got put down as the family had young children and didn't trust it after that and the second was a bullmastiff, bloody horrible thing got me on the arm.

Horrible experience never want to go through it again !

whatgwan · Post by **whatgwan** » 17 May 2016, 17:36

Got grabbed by a Pitbull about 5 years ago .
Dog got put down ,owner prosecuted and banned from keeping animals..
I had around 10 or so puncture wounds in my ankle and a brand new pair of Doc Marten boots got about 16 holes through em...
Couldn't claim a penny in Compo-as I couldn't definitively prove the Dog had shown aggressive tendencies to anyone before!
I was literally doing a spare loop on a walk unknown to me.

Dorset Plodder · Post by **Dorset Plodder** » 18 May 2016, 11:02

I HATE BLOODY DOGS!

As far as I'm concerned they should all be made into sausages and fed to the homeless!

If ANY dog is loose in a garden I just walk straight past and endorse the mail "Dog Loose".

If it's running around a Cul-de-sac or Close I'll endorse the whole loop!

Latest I had was a guy saying, "Oh you're a New Postie....come in I'll introduce you to my dog"!

I said, "No Thanks, I cover a different duty everyday, most with 500-600 houses, how many dogs do you think there are? If your dogs out loose you won't get any mail". He seemed a bit upset that I didn't like his dog! Over the years I have been bitten (non to badly) on Fingers.... Hand... Forearm.... Backside.....Calf ...... and many attempted bites on Hi-Vis and Jackets!

t3mcIUQWE2 · Post by **t3mcIUQWE2** » 18 May 2016, 22:17

Dozens of times. Any dog coming at me now gets a full kick to the head depositing it 20 yards away.

sequinn · Post by **sequinn** » 22 May 2016, 19:05

In nearly 18 years service I think I've been bitten 6 times., twice in the first three months of this year. What annoys me more than anything is the attitude of the dog owners. Never an apology or 'how are you' it's as though they think it's all part of being a postie. After one incident, the owners were told to put up a letter box or collect their mail and we would not be knocking on the door to deliver parcels or sign fors. A box was put up right next to the window where the dogs growl and snarl at me. On Saturday, I could hear the front door being opened so I made a quick exit to behind the gate. The owner opened the door and said he'd take the mail from me. I said I wouldn't come into the garden with the door open,( as this is how I was bitten. Door opened dog dashed out and attacked my leg). He snatched the mail from me and said sarcastically 'no problem'.