Postmen have stopped delivering to 70 homes on an entire street on health and safety grounds – because a family dog is “too friendly”, it emerged today.
Royal Mail told residents their road is too dangerous for postmen to walk down following a number of “near misses” involving the pooch, called Chunk.
Ironically, they informed locals about the ban – by letter which they hand delivered.
Homeowners on Spruce Gardens, Bulwell, Notts., now have to travel two miles to collect their mail from a delivery office.
The dog’s owner Donna Green, 33, says Chunk is a harmless pet who happily plays with her young children Caitlin, eight, Kadyann, seven.
She said: “Chunk is a family pet – he’s not bitten anybody.
“If anything he’s too friendly. We think the posties don’t like him going up and wagging his tail at them because he is big and spreads hairs on their uniforms.
“We’ve been down to the Royal Mail and spoken to them, and we’ve even put a post box up on the fence.
“There was never a problem with the dog in the first place. He looks big but he isn’t going to do anything to anybody.
“I’ve got kids – I would not have the dog with them if he was dangerous.”
Her partner Adam, 33, added: “He’s a big softie. All the kids play with him – he is like a big teddy bear.
“I can let him off the lead when we go for a walk because he will not bother anyone at all.
“Royal Mail are just being ridiculous, We just can’t understand it at all.”
Locals received letters from Royal Mail on February 9 telling them deliveries had been suspended because of the Shar Pei Bull mastiff cross.
They were told the decision was taken after repeated requests to the owners to keep Chunk under control.
Residents yesterday reacted angrily at the ban, branding the posties “pansies”.
Resident Harry Harper, 52, said: “I’ve never known such a friendly dog in all my life. It truly is laughable.
“And then when they delivered the letters to say they wouldn’t be delivering any letters – they didn’t even post that days letters. It’s all a bit bizarre.
“Posties? More like pansies. They should grow a pair and do their job. Chunk’s harmless.”
Kathleen Flinders, 58, added: “It’s quite difficult for us because my husband has just had a knee operation so he can’t drive at the moment and we’ve had to ask a neighbour to help us out.
“My husband had the operation done privately and this is delaying the bills for that.
“It’s very unfair we are being penalised for someone else’s dog.”
A spokesperson for Royal Mail apologised for the inconvenience, adding: “The regular postman has on many occasions been unable to deliver the mail as an aggressive dog is being allowed to roam free in the area.
“Deliveries had already been suspended to the address where the dog lives and we have asked the owners to keep the dog under control so that the postman can complete his round safely.
“Unfortunately, this hasn’t happened.
“Following a number of near misses and a risk assessment of the area, we have had to temporarily suspend deliveries to these properties as a precautionary measure.
“We have written to those customers affected and we are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.”
“The safety and welfare of our staff is paramount and we only suspend deliveries if the safety of our postmen and women is at risk and as a last resort.”
He added that over 3,000 postmen and woman and attacked by dogs every year.
ROYAL MAIL FULL OF SH+T AS USUAL