Barking mad: Fear of dog attack stops Royal Mail deliveries

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Barking mad: Fear of dog attack stops Royal Mail deliveries in Whitley area

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Service suspended for people living in Kinver Walk and Elizabeth Walk in Katesgrove and Cedar Road in Whitley after two dogs have been causing trouble

The Royal Mail has refused to deliver post to three streets in the Whitley area after aggressive dogs have been attacking posties.

The service has been suspended for people living in Kinver Walk and Elizabeth Walk in Katesgrove and Cedar Road in Whitley after two dogs have been causing trouble.

In Katesgrove, the Royal Mail say a postman was attacked by a dog while in Whitley there was a “near miss” with a Rottweiler. But families are complaining they have backdated post, bailiffs knocking on the door and delays of vital packages.

The Ray family, of Kinver Walk, stopped getting post about three months ago. The family-of-six are waiting for a delivery of fog bombs to deal with a bed bugs infestation.

Nicole Ray, 36, who lives at the property with her husband Gary, 48, and their children Sherri, 12, Colleen, 14, Derrick, 16, and Sophie, 17, said: “It has been a massive inconvenience for the whole family.”

Mrs Ray was told she could collect her family’s post from Whitley Street Post Office. But she said: “Every time I go to collect it they either don’t have anything or the post is over three weeks old.

“I have bills to pay and I’m not receiving the letters until late. We had bailiffs knock on the door they said they had sent letters but I hadn’t had no letters.”

In Cedar Road, the postal service still managed to send letters to homes informing them of the ban despite the apparent threat of the dog to its staff. In the letter, Royal Mail said the level of risk to postal workers was “unacceptably high” due to the threat of further dog attacks.

Customers have been told to collect their post from the Royal Mail centre in Gillette Way where it will be held for 18 days, despite seeing postmen walk down the road.


Steve Cashley, 58, who lives in the road, said: “I have spoken to them [Royal Mail] and agree it must have been frightening for the postman, but they are not prepared to deliver the mail and going on about health and safety and that they are not putting their postmen at risk.

“I just feel I am being sentenced for somebody else’s crime.”

The dog’s owner Kieron Shepherd, 28, said the Rottweiler’s chain only allowed it to run up and poke its head through a side gate. He said he had since shortened the chain and made the gate more secure.

“I feel really bad. I get on with my neighbours and was shocked they all got the letter saying I have a dangerous dog as I have never had any trouble,” he said.

Postal workers attacked 55 times

Between April 2012 and April 2013 postal workers were attacked 55 times in the RG postcode area.

Of the Katesgrove roads, Royal Mail spokesman Mike Norman said: “Royal Mail can confirm it has temporarily suspended deliveries to properties in Kinver Walk and Elizabeth Walk due to an aggressive dog in the area which has previously attacked the postman.

“We have tried to resolve the problem with the involvement of the police and dog warden, including making agreements with the owner to keep the dog on a lead when walking it and to avoid walking it at certain times of day. However these agreements have not been sustained. The safety and welfare of our staff is paramount and we only suspend deliveries as a last resort if the safety of our postmen and women is at risk. Our safety team has carried out a risk assessment and suggested one solution could be to place postboxes on the outer perimeter of the houses to whom we deliver – which some residents favour.

“We will continue to work with the neighbourhood council, local authority and the dog warden to try to address these safety concerns as we are keen to resume deliveries as soon as possible.”

Of Cedar Road, the company was unable to explain why the suspension letters were able to be delivered and not the residents’ mail, only that it was posted by a manager rather than as part of a daily postal round.

[Dorset Plodder]

Love the way everyone starts claiming they're not getting important bills and packets! Yet when they bother to collect their mail...they haven't got any! Or it's 3 weeks old (Haven't you collected any for 3 weeks)?

The bottom line is sort your bloody dogs out! We've got another post showing what could happen FFS. I wish Royal Mail would do more of this sort of thing, it would sort out these irresponsible owners (Yes I know it's not the dog's fault). Often you don't get any support from Management...... Years ago we had a brilliant Manager who refused to deliver to a particular house because the teenage kid would ride around swearing and gobbing at the Postie (Me) Problem was solved when I explained to his older brother what was happening. He gave him a bloody good slapping and dragged him down the road to apologise. Restored my faith in natural justice.

[Groundpounder]

Here's my thoughts gather all the moaners up take them round the dog owners house say there's your problem and let them deal with the dog owner, if they would still rather just moan stick them in Postmans uniforms take them to a well known area most delivery offices have them with vicious dogs. Next send them on a full delivery in that area with no more than a right foot up the backside so after they've been chased, bitten and are generally in a rough state we can trot out all the excuses we've heard from these owners for example HE'S NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE.

[Thunderthighs]

Ive gone through the "dog attack" routine...Sued em. Won around £7,000 total.
Worth it, even though it can take years.