Bobby the dog found himself facing being put on the Royal Mail's blacklist for frightening postmen – even though he is deaf, crippled with arthritis and 15 years old.
Owner Ann Ryan, 72, received a letter from officials threatening to stop delivering mail to her house in Stockport.
They said posties were ‘being menaced’ by the pet, who is on strong painkillers for arthritis.
Postmen would stop calling if there were ‘any further incidents’ and advised her to make sure her dog did not have access to areas of her property used by the postman.
Ann, 72, said she believed the warning had been issued because Bobby had simply barked at a delivery man.
She said the dog was either kept on his lead or behind a padlocked iron gate and that, in the 13 years she has had him, he had never attacked anyone. Ann, from Offerton, said: "Bobby can hardly walk with his arthritis.
"This letter was totally out of the blue, just because my dog barked at somebody.
"If a postman is frightened of a dog barking they should get a new job. Bobby is not a menace, he is good natured and exceptionally good with children.
"I leave my grandkids with him and he has never posed a physical threat."
Ann, a volunteer for Cancer Research UK, added: "Barking is what dogs do, they do it to protect the property.
"The postman has free access onto my property and I always have my eye on Bobby, who is either on a lead, in the house or behind a locked gate.
"You do everything right and someone sends a letter like this. I am so angry, it is red tape gone mad."
Royal Mail has now apologised for sending the letter, which was sent from the central delivery office on Green Lane in Heaton Norris.
Royal Mail spokeswoman Marie Gray said: "We apologise if the customer was upset by the letter she received and would like to assure her that it was not our intention to cause any distress.
" We always welcome the co-operation of our customers for taking responsibility for keeping their pets under control.
"We are, of course, continuing to deliver all mail to this address."
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My parents had one of these letters. Their dog was blind and old, he was also behind a padlocked gate and there was a baby gate stopping him from getting to the front door as he - when he was younger - 'played with' the mail, leaving it torn and soggy. I think they send them to anyone with a dog.
I was a postman for 11 years,and in that time I was bitten by several dogs.
Postman are in a no win situation.
People complain if the postman doesn`t push the mail right through
the letter box.But by doing this,postmen risk having their fingers bitten!
I`ve seen alsations and rotweilers lose in peoples front gardens,how
are postman meant to get to your letterbox?
Just in case anyone complains,I`m going to say "Post persons".
What's the relevance of the dog's deafness? If I was bitten by a dog (or jumped-up at, or nosed in the groin), I wouldn't really care whether it was deaf or had bionic hearing.
Maybe the deafness makes it more likely to appear menacing - as it doesn't hear the gate and postie's footsteps, and so is surprised more easily, causing it to bark and jump at its gate?
Royal Mail = Pathetic.
Pathetic Service.
Pathetic Post"man."
Pathetic Excuse to send the letter. I'm very surprised Ann got the letter in the first place!
"Ann, a volunteer for Cancer Research UK, added: "Barking is what dogs do, they do it to protect the property."
That is an admission of guilt ! Next ....
".....If a postman is frightened of a dog barking they should get a new job......" Well said Ms Ryan.
We all know posties are lazy and do anything they can to NOT deliver something.
Some people have a general fear of dogs anyway so if they hear a dogs bark without even seeing the dog will run as they automatically may think its a Rottweiller or other breed looking for its next victim.
This article is barking mad!! However I wouldnt be too 'woof' on the RoyalMail, Posties do a great job!!
If you try to deliver a letter at an address with an aggressive dog, simple, post it next door.
Well, thats what happens to most of my mail anyway - next street sometimes.
If the house is blacklisted, how did Ann get the letter in the first place?
I got one of these letters after a postman complained that my dog had gone for the postman. I was baffled as the dog was always inside the house. So I wrote to the post office and said if you can find any dog that can undo an inside door, find the keys for a pvc front door, unlock it and open it and then go for a postman film it and I will send it to you've been framed. I just could not believe it.
I agree with the Royal Mail in this instance and have every sympathy with Post Men and Post Women. People with dogs should collect their mail.
I have learnt that the majority of dog owners are ignorant, arrogant and totally oblivious to people who don't like their precious canines. Always assuming that everyone else likes them, WE DON'T!!
Can't Royal Mail produce a "Beware of the dog (bites)" stickers? and offer them free? Similar to the "No Junk Mail" signs? That way we can have our mail delivered so it lands of the floor and only those with dogs find their mail still hanging in the letter box?
P.S. If the dog has got arthritis, surely the postman can run faster than the dog? (cue Benny Hill music)
A simple solution would be to fit an American style post box at the edge of properties were there is an isssue with dogs, the postman would then not need to enter the property but could still deliver the mail to the address and it then would be up to the householder to walk to the mail box on their property to retrieve their mail.
all i can say is GROW SOME B***S Royal Mail
Dancing Pants
Thanks for the well done!
Oh I have done my research and don't have to explain how to you but trust me i am
CORRECT
This is crazy! My dog is 13 and aggressive, he has bit a post mans hand when he stuck it in the letter box, he chews up letters and goes mental when ever somebody comes near the front door. We had to put a box on the back of the door to catch the letters so he cannot get to them. Yet we havent had any letter like this, but this poor woman gets one about her dog!
Hope my old guy Charlie,who is not in the best of health these days,is as cheeky as this old chap in another 2 years.He is the image of my dog.You go Bobby,let them know you are there and keep doing what you do best.As for the postal service...shame on you.At least your stuff goes through the door,some idiot keeps throwing parcels through my open window!!!
I can remember a few years ago coming home from work and finding a note on my door to say that no further mail would be delivered to my house, due to the 'dog at large'. I have never had a dog, it turned out to be my neighbiour's Jack Russell - my neighbour still got her mail!
A deaf dog,eh!
I once had one that was hard of hearing,when you said "sit",
It would do a big richard.
I also had one that was a skilled blacksmith,
It made a bolt for the door!
On a serious note ,as an ex-postie,I`ve got to agree with the post
men and women.Why should they have to put up,with being
bitten by dogs.
Dog owners control or muzzel your dogs,a cage on the other
side of the letter box often helps.This saves the postpersons digits
and prevents the mail getting chewed to shreads.
All the comments slagging the posties off, if those people could only do a better job.
anyway all carry on watching Jeremy Kyle, any walking the street in your PJs.
I got one of these letters, apparently my dog was so vicious the postman would'nt even open the gate, i didn't get any post for 8 weeks.......Even though i told Royal Mail I DON'T OWN A DOG.
Feed the dog a treat, try laxative chocolate.