Street left without letters for five days after dog attacks

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POSTAL workers are refusing to deliver letters to homes in a city street after a series of dog attacks.

Posties doing their rounds in Norwich Avenue, Whitleigh, say they fear for their safety after three of them were set upon by the same dog in separate incidents.

Residents have not received any post for the last five days since they were told the risk of delivering to their homes was “unacceptably high” due to fears of further attacks.

A resident said: “I got the letter on Monday and since then there has been no post. I was shocked and annoyed, just because they have been having problems with one dog doesn’t mean everybody else shouldn’t get their post and parcels.

“Two friends are saying they are getting phone calls about parcels that have not been delivered, I have got late bills to pay but I can’t pay them. I will contact Royal Mail and just keep waiting.”

Chris Webb, local representative for the Communication Workers’ Union, said the dog’s owners were warned after the first two attacks.

“It’s happened for the third time and Royal Mail have been left with no other option,” Mr Webb said.

“If one of our members was to get seriously hurt, maimed or even killed, how would the residents feel then?

“The responsibility has to be on the owner, we can’t afford for one of our members to be put in the position where they are scared to do their job. It is a massive issue.”

Mr Webb said none of the posties were seriously injured, but they were shaken up by the experiences.

“We can only request politely so many times that they keep their animals under control,” he said. “Eventually it’s going to hurt somebody. Three times is indicative that there’s a problem.”

Mr Webb said any undelivered mail returns to the depot and residents are given instructions about how to collect it.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “There has been some disruption to deliveries to properties in Norwich Avenue, Whitley. This follows an attack on the local postman by an aggressive dog that is being allowed to roam free in the area. This latest incident, on June 14, follows two previous attacks by the same dog.

“A risk assessment is being undertaken on a daily basis, and if the dog is out, mail is returned to the office.

“The safety and welfare of our staff is paramount and we only suspend deliveries if the safety of our postmen and women is at risk and as a last resort.

“More than 3,000 postmen and women are attacked by dogs each year and we encourage the public to take responsibility for keeping their pets under control so that we can deliver the mail safely.

“We have written to those customers affected and we are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.

“We are working with the local police to address the outstanding safety concerns, as we are keen to resume deliveries as soon as possible. In the meantime, on days we have been unable to deliver, customers can collect their mail from the local delivery office. Any uncollected mail is taken out again the following day.”

Norwich Avenue resident Paul Legallez, 54, who has two rescue dogs of his own, was one of the residents to be affected by the undelivered mail. He said: “I was here when it happened. I just got in from work and saw the postman with a little bit of blood on his hands but him and the owner spoke and shook hands and I thought that was the end of it.

“On the whole the dog’s really nice but when people see certain types of dogs they make judgements.”

Paul said he received a letter on Wednesday telling him that he would not be getting his mail delivered as usual. He said: “We’ve been given a month to respond. I don’t think we should be penalised and we’ve all been tarred with the same brush.

“Another thing is that it doesn’t say in the letter which dog it is and I have two dogs. The letter makes it sound as though it’s my dogs they’re talking about but I don’t even let them out.”

Paul’s neighbour Rachel Adams, 23, described the dog as being no problem and said she thought it might have been put down. She said: “She was with kids so obviously fine. I think she was a French Bull Mastiff. I think she’s possibly been put down now because of Royal Mail complaints.

“It’s ridiculous that we haven’t had our post when it’s not even our dogs. I received a whole load of stuff today including a bill. I needed that bill last week.”

Rachel said that whenever she had seen the dog it has always been on a lead and both neighbours agreed that it was good-natured.

[Sidley]

Obviously the street is an enclave of cretins.

[Sidley]

Best of the comments section

"A resident in the street, who did not want to be named,Kirstie Kellow, aged 23, said: "I got the letter on Monday and since then there has been no post. I was shocked and annoyed, just because they have been having problems with one dog doesn't mean everybody else shouldn't get their post and parcels.

Rofl so you proof read this didn't you!!! omg Hearld your getting worse"

It has been edited since but prior to that they named a resident who didn't want to be named in the article.