GSD attacks postal worker

[Caitydid255]

According to the postal employee, the 1 1/2 year old bitch jumped through the screen door, chased her down the street and bit her thigh. A lawsuit has been filed in this matter.

Sad thing is that I have heard from friends who live in the town that BSL has been considered. Hopefully this incident does not add to the movement.
Letter Carrier Bites Back Against Dog Owner - Courant.com

[Mrs.K]

East Hartford Senior Animal Control Officer Ed Ruiz said an investigation cleared the dog and dog owner of any wrongdoing. He noted that "Beware of Dog" signs were posted on the gate of the fenced yard as well as the front door to the home. The German Shepherd, a bitch named Roxy who was 1 1/2 years old at the time of the incident, was licensed and had a current rabies vaccine at the time of the incident, Ruiz added. The dog was quarantined for two weeks at the home, and showed no sign of illness, he said.

This part is very interesting. Animal Control cleared them of any wrong doing. Maybe people should take those posted signs a little more serious.

Rosario told investigators then that Powell must've been new to the route, according to Ruiz.
"The other guy would leave the mail in the gate," he said she reported.
"Unfortunately for the mail carrier, the door was open," he said. "We haven't had any further complaints there."

And apparently it was well known to leave the mail at the gate and not go through it. However, that doesn't help the fact that the dog broke through the screen door.

[msvette2u]

This would be a toughie in a way but then in a way, not.
I had a situation where one of the officers wanted me to go get a dog from someone's property that bit the officer while they were serving a warrant.
I think the officer was on the doorstep.
I didn't get the dog, but told the officer that he was on the dog's property so that's not really an offense according to the law.

[wildo]

Originally Posted by Mrs.K

And apparently it was well known to leave the mail at the gate and not go through it.

I dunno. IMHO, the signs are irrelevant if the mailbox was not at the gate. The postal worker has a job to do and can't be leaving mail in random places. It really must be a rough job! I can't imagine a GSD (or really any dog) busting through a screen door and running at me, signs posted or not!

[arycrest]

Originally Posted by wildo

I dunno. IMHO, the signs are irrelevant if the mailbox was not at the gate. The postal worker has a job to do and can't be leaving mail in random places. It really must be a rough job! I can't imagine a GSD (or really any dog) busting through a screen door and running at me, signs posted or not!

I agree! I wonder if it might even be against postal regulations to leave it at the gate instead of the mail box? I know I've heard of mail carriers refusing to deliver to certain houses forcing the residents to get a PO Box or General Delivery.

[Mrs.K]

That I can agree with. If the mail box is inside the yard, the mailman has no chance. Our mailwoman has to go to the box and scan the code even if she doesn't have anything to deliever.

[Lauri & The Gang]

There was just a story on the news about a neighborhood that no longer gets their mail delivered to their houses because of 2 dogs that run loose and charge the postal worker.

Personally, if the dog is THAT aggressive they should have a lock on their front gate. What if a young child walked up to sell cookies or something.

[Whiteshepherds]

Originally Posted by wildo

I dunno. IMHO, the signs are irrelevant if the mailbox was not at the gate. The postal worker has a job to do and can't be leaving mail in random places. It really must be a rough job! I can't imagine a GSD (or really any dog) busting through a screen door and running at me, signs posted or not!

The old mail carrier left the mail at the gate. Sounds like the owner didn't realize someone new was going to be delivering the mail, so they hadn't been told it was okay to leave it somewhere other than in the mailbox.

I feel bad for the mail carrier, that had to be really scary. Hopefully the dog owner's insurance will pick up medical costs etc.
I wonder what the PO's policy is on their employees ignoring posted warnings?

[shilohsmom]

When Shiloh was about six months old we were visiting with a neighbor. Theres no traffic, dead end street, etc. where I live and my pup was unleashed. I didn't see the mail carrier at the next house but Shiloh did. He ran up to him barking and looking as fierce as a six month old pup can look. The poor mail carrier was so afraid he dropped his dog spray as he fell over the fence trying to escape. From that point on my dogs have never been off leash. I knew if he had even scratched the man that it could have been the end for my pup. I don't know if it's still true but I've heard that the carriers are required to file charges against anyone who's dog bites them.

Mail carriers have to be able to do their jobs. I personally would prefer no mail at all since everything is electronic now, but if they are going to come I don't want my dogs anywhere near them.

[LaRen616]

Supposedly from what my neighbors told me, the lady at the corner that always lets her dogs roam around freely (I almost killed 2 of them) had a GSD before I moved in. I guess one day the GSD left her yard to go after the mail man and he struck her over the head with an axe killing her.