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Dog issue aside - if you or anyone else is paying postage on these items, then surely they have a duty to deliver them? Will they refund the postage if you travel 9 miles to collect? Just a thought!
Is there no way to fence off the area from the gate to the front door? Sorry but despite your explanation I can't tell how far the house is set back from the road. You do say the garden wraps around but that doesn't mean it has to. If you can put a reasonable size fence at some point so the dogs can't access the front gate or door. I would have to for my own peace of mind and I know in your case he has no reason to be concerned, I as an owner would be concerned one of my dogs would get out.
Sounds a bit like someone with a fear of heights taking on the job of a steeplejack! Yours are surely not the only dogs he comes across on his rounds?
Really think it's a problem for management to solve.
KatyK yes some people are but I doubt many would then choose to become a postie.
Farmnanjulie he sounds like a bit of a jobsworth to me, let's hope he gets replaced.
I agree that if he is terrified of dogs then he's in the wrong job. I once took a job as a leaflet deliverer and left after just one day due to several dogs frightening the hell out of me.
For convenience, and lack of stress, I would agree with squiffy that a mounted secure external postbox is the way to go.
The principle of the thing, is another matter! it seems ludicrous that the new postman can take this stance in the face of all evidence to the contrary however I believe ( ^happy to stand corrected if someone knows more^ ) that most service employees who routinely visit homes are free to make a judgement call about their personal safety regarding dogs, and refuse to enter. Management cannot discipline for such a judgement call....despite evidence, it would seem.
I guess you could mount a legal challenge that the judgement call was patently irrational, and is causing you undue stress/work/cost(in petrol), but I suspect it would be an expensive tilt at a windmill as he will be entitled to judge any barking as he sees it at the time, not as others see it at a.n.other time.
We have the same problem, Farmnan. The answer was to get a box at the gate and ask them to send their Health and Safety manager out to photograph it so regular and temp posties would know exactly where to leave the mail.
We have an arrangement with our regular postie, who is very accommodating, to reverse down the drive if there is a parcel. We then go out and take it from him, leaving the dogs indoors. He can see if we are out because our car won't be there so that means the dogs will be indoors and he can leave the parcel in the shed.
Temp posties can be a pain because they like to make up their own rules but if you have an arrangement with H&S they have to abide by it.
Some people are afraid of dogs - I am, after some bad experiences. No matter how many times the owners says 'he's/she's lovely', it doesn't work for me.
That's what the royal mail said,we have parcels that are really big to small letters,the box would have to be massive! As we have the farm a lot comes,well should be! I looked at some online called a parcel safe ,and it's a lot of money,2_3 hundred!
Could you set up a secure box at your gate so that post can be left safely in it?
Posties and dogs
I live on a farm in rural country lane,and we have two dogs,they are two Staffies who I use as volunteer therapy dogs due to their friendly and gentle nature,we take these dogs everywhere and anyone who meets them loves them,well our two postie's share this route and have met my dogs from new pups,and actually knock on the door to see them if they are not out in the garden,the postie who replaces them on days off ,is the same.
As are our bin collectors etc.
Our garden goes around our cottage with a wrought iron gate with the country lane in front of it so we get farm and public traffic coming by.
Sorry to waffle but helps you understand the problem.
On my birthday on one of the hottest days of the year,I saw a parcel left outside the gates on the road side, they were a bouquet delivered by royal mail,the chocolate inside were in a melted puddle,and the flowers so wilted they were dead by the end of the day,then on another day i saw a new postman ramming our post in the bars of the iron gate,this included folded over birthday cards,this has happened with other items,and I really got fed up when a contactless card in a Halifax envelope was hanging out of the gate, when I saw one of our regular postman I asked what was going on ,he said there was a new postman appointed and in his words " was terrified of barking dogs" he also said they had told him that these were lovely dogs and he had known them all there lives,and they have been tested and used as therapy dogs,
Since then I have noticed we have gone from having daily post to barely getting any,we have had daily post always and things were not arriving..
I complained to the post office and they had him Interviewed and said he has a duty to leave post secure,as he isn't doing that,he now refuses to post at all ,and they want us to pick up most from a office nine miles away,the customer service said that as our post could come between 8.30 to 3.00,it's not practical to keep the dogs in for all that time,the manager said he was told by other postie's that there is no problem ,but he won't budge,he was asked would be like to meet them with me,and he refused,.
I feel really cross! They have not done anything,never have and have plenty of support from those who know them,and now we have considerable problems to get it post!
In a farm area,he is going to come across dogs,if he is that terrified ,should he be doing this job!
What do you think,! I would welcome your views!
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