A scaredy-cat postman refused to deliver mail to a family’s home because he feared being attacked by their pet Chihuahua – called TINY.
Sarah Martin, 30, was left without mail for more nine days after her seven-inch high pooch ran out and yapped at the postie.
She had put a guard rail at the front door to stop the four-year-old dog going outside but Tiny managed to escape when her three children let her out over Easter.
Sarah claims the postie left her young kids in tears after shouting at them and even tried to kick Tiny before telling the shocked mum he was suspending deliveries.
The single mum was then left without her mail for nine days without any explanation from Royal Mail.
The postie only started delivering to her home in Daventry, Northants., last Saturday (22/4) when she bought a £20 post box which is at the end of her garden path.
Today, Sarah, a carer, said: “Tiny’s always hated the postman.
“I’ve had her for just under four years and he knows that she barks at him when he comes.
“It was a few weeks ago she got out the front and was barking at him and he was trying to kick her in the face.
“She was just warning him off but she has never bit him and has never bit anyone.
“I was putting up a fence to stop her getting out but the kids accidentally let her out a week later and she was barking at him again.
“He was shouting at the kids ‘Get your dog inside’ and the kids were crying.
“He told me had rang the supervisor and they had suspended my post.
“I tried ringing up the sorting office and they said they were getting someone to ring back but they never did.
“I had no official explanation from the Royal Mail and they didn’t offer for me to come and collect it, I just didn’t get my post for nine days.
“My friend bought me a post box from Amazon and she rang the sorting office and told them and then my post started being delivered again last weekend
“It is ridiculous, she is called Tiny for a reason.
“I told the postman ‘what are you scared for? She’s like an overgrown rat’.
“She is great with my three young children and has never attacked anyone at all, she is a real softie, she just barks at the postman to warn him off.”
Sarah, who lives with her children Jacob, eight, and seven-year-old twins Willow and Summer, said she was worried she had missed important post about her divorce.
She added: “I was expecting a bank card when the postman stopped coming so had to go a while without one.
“I am going through a divorce as well and my husband told me to expect some documents in the post.
“They needed to be replied to within seven days or the whole process could start again so I was worried this was going to affect that.
“The postman only started delivering again once we told the sorting office about the new post box.
“But he isn’t delivering my parcels anymore. He used to leave them with the neighbours but now he just puts the red slips in the post box.”
Royal Mail has confirmed that post to Sarah’s home will be reinstated and has apologised for any inconvenience caused.
A spokesperson said: “We know that the overwhelming majority of dogs are friendly most of the time.
“However even the most placid animal will defend itself if it feels its territory is being threatened.
“Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety of our people who provide a valuable service to our customers.
“Dog attacks or the threat of attack are a serious issue, with seven postmen and women on average being attacked every day across the UK, and when it is unsafe for our postmen and women to deliver we will suspend deliveries.”
