Dog and the Mail Lady

[CH4Ohio]

Ultra -- Meant to add -- I agree with your advice to her about re-homing the dog. An 85 year old lady doesn't need that kind of liability and headache. Sounds like a strong rambunctious dog that would be better suited for someone younger and a little farther off the road.

 

[ultrarunner]

Anything is possible and I don’t know the breed… it doesn’t look like a pit Bull from those I have seen in Oakland.

The dogs muzzle was right up against the door… no lunging but barking and snarling.

Grandma tells the dog to stop and it did for me.

If I happen to go back I will be sure to take a picture and measure.

Grandma said she keep both doors locked but it was so hot she had the inside door open.

The problem came to light during our only heat spell this year and the open front door allowed the dogs muzzle to be against the security door.

My recommendation is to re-home the dog.

The post office provide proof of insurance demand letter seems to be geared to canceling grandma’s home owner policy.

Grandma is going to visit her sister back east for 3 weeks… a long planned trip so I can’t say how things will end up…

 

[ultrarunner]

On a side note… not sure if this is a new TBN policy but several of my posts today are tagged:

This message is awaiting moderator approval, and is invisible to normal visitors

One of my posts referenced this incident:

Officer William Blea Grijalva

Officer William Grijalva was shot and killed in the 3900 block of Lyon Avenue after responding to a call for assistance by animal control officers trying to take a vicious pit bull into custody.

www.odmp.org

 

[CH4Ohio]

Anything is possible and I don’t know the breed… it doesn’t look like a pit Bull from those I have seen in Oakland.

The dogs muzzle was right up against the door… no lunging but barking and snarling.

Grandma tells the dog to stop and it did for me.

If I happen to go back I will be sure to take a picture and measure.

Grandma keeps the actual door locked in addition to the security door.

The problem came to light during our only heat spell when the front door was open allowing the dogs muzzle to be against the security door.

My recommendation is to re-home the dog.

The provide proof of insurance demand from the insurance company seems to be geared to canceling grandma’s home owner policy.

I think their written notice also serves to put the owner on notice that they are concerned for their employee’s safety. In worst case scenario, they have proof that the owner was made aware of the danger and did nothing. That letter will be Exhibit A in court.

 

[ultrarunner]

Your first couple posts really paint the picture from the Post Office's viewpoint -- And you know the dog and the situation . . . Imagine how a stranger might describe the same event.

You said the dog sounded like it would tear you apart. I'm guessing that includes some lunging against the door too.

You said that no way would the dog let someone into the house. In other words, it must be a VERY ferocious sounding dog. In fact, it sounds like it would actually bite if "it wouldn't let someone in the house."

If the dog is that scary, no one is going to walk up to the mailbox everyday terrified that the door isn't latched properly. (I don't think you've mentioned what breed it is, but if it's one of the recognized "vicious" "dangerous" breeds, that adds another layer of credibility to the postal carrier's fears.) It doesn't matter that it's behind a screen door or a mesh door. (I know of one instance where a mastiff came through a picture window. I don't think it was actually going to bite anyone, but it was just a loud wild dog and slammed up against the glass one too many times. Took a lot of stitches and made a lot of mess. Just "being inside" might not always be enough.)

(Side story -- Reminds me of a private zoo at a resort I stayed at. They had everything, but the tigers were right outside the townhouse I was staying in -- just across the sidewalk from where I parked my car. I was standing there watching this big male tiger pace back-and-forth, looking back at me, on the other side of some heavy chain-link fence. After a couple seconds I broke eye contact and backed away and got in my car! I remember thinking "this is nuts!")

With all the lawsuits and attorneys and risk-management people, and all the worker's comp injuries and PTSD claims, etc. etc. . . . virtually all companies now have policies that their workers are not allowed to place themselves in danger and have to report these things. Companies routinely prohibit employees from even entering a premise with a "loose" dog. If the employee violates these guidelines, and then gets hurt, they potentially face discipline and reduced compensation. The policies are well-intentioned but get amplified by extreme risk aversion.

I'm a dog guy. Have two now. Have had dogs my whole life except for a couple years when I lived in a dorm. And I've had some of the recognized "vicious" breeds too. But your initial post set the stage for this drama. Any dog that's "scary" can cause this kind of reaction. And anyone that has a dog that will bite people is sitting on a time-bomb and asking for trouble.

You might be on to something… big speakers and a recoding of a dog that self cues as someone approaches… add a shaker/vibrator and no one would dare approach…

 

[Eagle1]

You might be on to something… big speakers and a recoding of a dog that self cues as someone approaches… add a shaker/vibrator and no one would dare approach…

But then would the mail be delivered?

 

[square1]

Invisible fence is worthless...

As is a security door that can be left in a non-secure state.

 

[WinterDeere]

I have befriended a few USPS and UPS employees over my 30 years of working with them and shipping stuff everyday, and getting bitten by dogs really is a huge problem for them.

One funny case was when my best friend's Rottweiler bit my regular UPS driver. I didn't know about it, until I hired my best friend to work with me, and my UPS ran into him at our place of work. He said, "don't you live at [address]?", and when my buddy said yes, the driver told him what had been happening. Nasty dog, who was usually locked safely indoors... but apparently not always!

So, I understand the mail lady's desire to not have to walk up to any house with what appears to be a vicious dog inside. Do that 6 days per week, year after year, and eventually there will be one time when the door isn't latched properly, etc.

But it seems to me the easy solution is to put up a mailbox out at the road, or switch delivery to a PO box. Neither is as convenient has having the mail brought right up to the front door, but if you're going to house a dog that scares the mail lady, these seem like reasonable compromises.

 

[Quaffer]

The 4’8 Asian mail lady is terrified of dogs and official USPS notice was sent to the aunt… get rid of the dog or forgo mail delivery along with a letter signed by your Home Owners Insurance provider acknowledging the vicious dog and providing policy and coverage information.

That sounds very vindictive to me.

Whether insurance coverage is in place or not, or how high the coverage is, or whether anyone signed a letter, has ZERO to do with the carrier's safety to deliver the mail.

The Federal Government has deep enough pockets if their carriers gets attacked to resolve anything needed-- again, demanding that has nothing to do with ensuring the safety of their carrier.

 

[EscapedSuburbia]

Whether insurance coverage is in place or not, or how high the coverage is, or whether anyone signed a letter, has ZERO to do with the carrier's safety to deliver the mail.

I agree. I don't care how much insurance a person has - I'm not going near a house with a known vicious dog. Especially when the only thing between me and that dog is an 85 year old remembering to latch the door.