Dog bit post man

[archiesmumma]

A different postman came today to post our mail, my dog usually runs to the door and grabs the mail (our usual postie laughs about it with us) and today she bit the man's finger. I went througb to get the mail and could see the postman at the other side of the door and when I opened it his finger was bleeding he asked for a bandage, I didn't have one but gave him a clean towel and told him I was really sorry this has never happened before. He then threw the towel down and said he needs to go to hospital. I called the police and explained what happened but they said it's not something they would be involved with as she wasnt outside or uncontrollable. I just wondered if anyone has had anything like this happen and know what to expect? I'm sick with worry about what will happen. Tia

Is your dog insured?

Fit a cage box on the inside of your door to collect the post and protect anyone posting something through your door in the future. If there are any repercussions from this incident at least you can say you’ve already taken measures to prevent it happening again.

Agree with pp. take precautions and wait to see if anything Happens.

One of our dogs once nipped a postman. We got a warning message that if it happened again we might have to make alternative arrangements to get our post.

It didn't, so that was an end of it.

Was this bite through the letterbox? You might want to put a cage on to protect your post as well as the postie's fingers.

Yes I have. Pretty much an identical situation. My post lady said that she had to report it which was fair enough. The police came about three days later and spoke to me and took details of my dog. Her name and a description, I suppose in case it ever happened again so there would be a record.

Cases like this have been through the courts, so worst case scenario is that you are prosecuted.

Royal Mail wins appeal over Ipswich postman dog bite - BBC News

The police shouldn't pick and choose which crimes they follow up

Owners Could Face 5 Years in Prison if Their Dog Bites The Postman (countryliving.com)

If you are lucky, there will be no further action, but if the Royal Mail report it as a dangerous dog attack on postal staff, which it is in law, including in these circumstances, then the police might decide to investigate after all.

All you can do now is wait and see. As well as installing things such as letter cages to prevent your dog from attacking posties. It doesn't matter that your regular postie thinks it's a joke - there are all sorts of other people who may shove things through you letterbox and none of them should be threatened or attacked by your dog

"oh he's only playing" doesn't cut it as either an excuse or a defence (if the Royal Mail makes a formal complaint)

No she isn't insured.
I have ordered a cage for the door and warning stickers for the window, I'm not trying to excuse it by saying the usual post man laughs about it I know it's not ok. Im just so worried, I have a newborn baby and since having him my anxiety has been bad as it is. I called the police to keep myself right, I don't want to lose my dogs I love them just as much as I do my kids. I don't know if there's a way to contact post office to find out if the man is ok?

You should have nipped this behaviour in the bud a long time ago. This is what happens when you don't.

Such a bizarre thing that you would let this carry on in the first place. I wouldn’t contact the post office I doubt they will tell you anything. You will just have to wait it out and see if they take it any further.

i would also get your dog insured!

I think this is bizarre too. OP it would probably negatively impact your case if you admitted you let your dog do this regularly…

I can imagine how upsetting this must be for you, OP, as well as for the postman.
I would have thought it likely that the worst possible outcome would be some sort of warning and perhaps a suspension of mail delivery. Don't let your anxiety torment you too much and magnify this episode.
Of course there are things that you could have done differently, but hindsight isn't really much use.
I suggest you enrol your dog into some sort of 'responsible dog citizen' class, then if there is any comeback you can demonstrate that you are being responsible and pro-active xx

You haven't got pet insurance? Big mistake

Home insurance often covers this sort of 3rd party liability for dog-related incidents (I specifically checked this once), but i don't imagine that compensation will come into the equation anyway.

Please try not to worry too much. Nothing is guaranteed, with animals, and I think you are being harder on yourself than the post office would be with you.

This happened to my very elderly mother. Her westee bit the postman. She had a letter from Royal Mail saying they would only deliver mail to a post box at the bottom of her drive. Fair enough but Mum is disabled and can no longer walk down her long drive so hardly ideal but at least she didn’t get sued (it was a nip but still drew blood and still unacceptable).

You love them as much as your kids but they aren’t insured?

It’s not clear what happened, did she bite him deliberately or catch his finger when she was taking the post? I ask as I don’t let my own dog have any contact with posties at all because he thinks any stranger at the door = murderer. However, he has also bitten me out of clumsiness before when taking a toy from my hand so both circumstances could apply in my house.

You did the right thing in reporting it, but you really (really!) need to get your dog insured. Insurance may become more difficult after this, though, depending on the course of action the postman takes as she may now have a ‘bite history’.