Postman Ran Over Dog

ajjmk

Hi, I'm just looking for a bit of advice here.
On Monday last the postman ran over my boyfriends beloved labrador. The incident occurred on the private laneway to my boyfriend's dad's house, while the dog was tied up. The postman then proceeded to drive off as if nothing happened, leaving the dog lying there. Sadly, the dog had to be put down as his skull was completely crushed
We were left with some vets fees which we mentioned to the postman, but he's refusing to pay. Having talked to some of the neighbours, seemingly this is the fifth dog in the locality this postman has killed. Neighbours have even on occasion seen him swerve the postvan to try to intentionally hit dogs.

I was just wondering what I can do about this? I genuinely feel this postman is a danger to animals. What would be the most effective way to issue a complaint or report him? Thanks in advance for any help given.

TheBoffin

I was just wondering what I can do about this?

Sadly nothing unless you can get people to stand witness to it. If they are prepared to then report the postman to An Post.

ajjmk

Sorry, forgot to put it in - my boyfriend's dad saw it happen.

Pretzill

ajjmk wrote: »

Hi, I'm just looking for a bit of advice here.
On Monday last the postman ran over my boyfriends beloved labrador. The incident occurred on the private laneway to my boyfriend's dad's house, while the dog was tied up. The postman then proceeded to drive off as if nothing happened, leaving the dog lying there. Sadly, the dog had to be put down as his skull was completely crushed
We were left with some vets fees which we mentioned to the postman, but he's refusing to pay. Having talked to some of the neighbours, seemingly this is the fifth dog in the locality this postman has killed. Neighbours have even on occasion seen him swerve the postvan to try to intentionally hit dogs.

I was just wondering what I can do about this? I genuinely feel this postman is a danger to animals. What would be the most effective way to issue a complaint or report him? Thanks in advance for any help given.

Poor dog that's just awful. I don't think you'll get anywhere with this in regards to prooving it wasn't anything but an awful accident. However my postman's van is avoided at all costs, in that I won't walk the dogs until I know he's left the roadway. One of our's was hit by the postman some years ago, thankfully he sustained only minor injuries. My dog was lounging in the driveway when the postman reversed into him - the postman never noticed but apologised when I told him later.

Many could say my dog shouldn't have been sitting there but he's a dog who won't leave the gate and I was close by.

It wasn't the first casuality on the road. Postmen in rural areas have to navigate bad roads, driveways and boreens and they should be aware of the animals but the only thing I can suggest is a diplomatic word with the postman - but a firm word too next time they could be backing into a person.

Horrible for your boyfriends family losing a pet that way

TheBoffin

Sorry, forgot to put it in - my boyfriend's dad saw it happen

In that case give An Post a call and report it to the Gardai

tk123

TheBoffin wrote: »

In that case give An Post a call and report it to the Gardai

+1 and if they (An Post) fob you off I'd take it to their social media outlets. Poor dog and poor owners to see it happen and have to take him to be pts with injuries like that. Not seeing the dog is not an excuse especially if he was tied up and being kept out of the way - it could have been a child for example or somebody bent down?

Lemlin

An Post are insured by the State Claims Agency. At the very least, and sorry to put it like this, you have suffered a financial loss from a vehicle insured by the State Claims Agency.

You need to submit your claim to them. They will then investigate it.

This may take a while though as they are very slow but the 1961 Road Traffic Act means they have to investigate it.

I work in motor claims so feel free to pm me for advice if you need it.

gdawg87

This story angers me. <snip> My sisters puppy got ran over by a builder working on her house recently. He was just as broke pup about it as my sis and he even offered to get her a new puppy. She suggested to hold off until the building was finished and to stay away from her cat...

Mod note: steady on with the suggestions for punishing the postman.
Thanks,
DBB

feelgoodinc27

ajjmk wrote: »

Sorry, forgot to put it in - my boyfriend's dad saw it happen.

What exactly did he see?

ZiabR

That is unreal if all completely true. He has killed 5 dogs so far? If that is true, then something needs to be done. You need to log a complaint to An Post and maybe inform the Gardai.

gdawg87

Mod note: steady on with the suggestions for punishing the postman.
Thanks,
DBB[/QUOTE]
was only a joke, lighten up


Not only is suggesting that anyone should be killed against the forum charter, and not funny, it's also not on to comment on on-thread warnings via any route other than pm.
Do not respond to this edit on-thread.
Thanks,
DBB

J.P.M

Report it to the appropriate channels.

It is a hard story to swallow though!

ardle1

Poor dog, that man sounds like a complete an utter bsatard and a very nasty man, you should follow up on this, even suggest to his employer, that you are seriously worried about the mental health off this particular post man!!

deandean

If the postman ran into your gatepost and damaged it you have the basis for a claim against An Post to have your gatepost repaired.

So the postman ran over a dog that was tied up, i.e. (emotions aside) it was a stationary object? I can tell you I wouldn't be putting it down to experience. I'd be writing a formal letter of complaint to An Post with all the details and putting in a claim for a replacement dog.

OP maybe post in the Legal Forum here although (ironically) they're not supposed to do legal advice.

Pumpkinseeds

I'm so sorry to hear about the poor dogs OP. I have to agree with Lemlin, unfortunately you'd probably only get this guy stopped by submitting a claim that leads to an official investigation. The odds are that the postman may have a history of complaints for simillar things. I hope that he's held to account for it, he sounds like an utter scumbag.

fathead82

I used to be a postman & I ran over a collie that jumped out in front of me,there was no way I could have avoided him.Luckily he was fine & back chasing the postvan the next day.Some dogs just throw themselves at the van & in houses with more than one dog,its very hard to watch them all while they are trying to bite the tyres as you are trying to leave.

There is no excuse for running over a large dog that is tied up,it would be impossible not to see him.Report him to the post office & maybe put up a postbox at the gate & tell them you do not want this postman to enter your property again.

ajjmk

Hi all, sorry for the late reply. First off, my boyfriend has put a postbox at the top of the laneway, so now the postman has no reason to enter the property again.


My boyfriend sent off a detailed email to An Post a few days ago and we have since heard back from them. Seemingly the postman is still denying he even hit the dog at all, even though my bf's dad pretty much saw it happen. (He was working in the field beside the house, saw the postman start driving from the house, heard a thump and a yelp and looked back up to see the dog lying on the ground and the postman driving away!)

So now An Post have to start an investigation into the matter, so we're currently contacting the neighbours whose dogs have been killed, so see if they'll write statements about what happened them too. Those who we have talked to have told us that the postman had asked them not to report him, and they didn't because he has a reputation for being a "dangerous man" who "goes out of his way to get people back".

I actually can't believe the amount of stuff that is coming out of the woodwork about this man! Hopefully something will be done about this because if all of what the neighbours are saying is true, the man really shouldn't still be in this job!!

Pumpkinseeds

I really hope he's held to account by his employer for his actions. It takes a 'special' kind of individual to hurt an animal.

ZiabR

Hats off the An Post for not just sweeping this under the carpet. Good luck OP.

Lemlin

logik wrote: »

Hats off the An Post for not just sweeping this under the carpet. Good luck OP.

I wouldn't say that just yet. They haven't taken any action yet.

All I would say to the OP is to persevere. They can be unbelievably slow.

angelfire9

Might be no harm to officially report it to the Gardaí if the postie is a bit of a psycho!

gdawg87

<snip>
What a sad, pathetic reawakening of a thread a whole year later.
Sad, sad, sad.
Oh, and you're banned :)Thanks,
DBB

dede12

I would have your boyfriend or his father ring the postmaster (go into any an post office and they can give you the number) and make a complaint; I've had to do that once for an issue that wasn't nearly as serious as this and they responded right away and had the issue sorted within 2 days. If you can get the other people whose pets were killed to do so as well that would help. Putting the postbox on the gate/by the road would also be a good idea, don't give him any reason to come back onto your property.

I would also be going to the Garda about something like that, it's completely unacceptable for him to run over a pet and especially to then drive off without a word. Perhaps a civil suit would be in order even if the Gardaí won't press criminal charges?

If you and all of your neighbors sign a petition stating they believe that he has killed these 5 dogs and don't want him on their route anymore that would also likely get the attention of his superiors. & An Post should at the very least be paying the vet bills for treatment or euthanasia that results from this.

I'm so sorry for your loss, I know nothing can 'fix' this but hopefully you guys can keep him from injuring any

tk123

This thread is almost a year old?

KungPao

I think gdawg just awoke from a coma.

Anyway, as the thread has been brought back, any updates on Postman Pat the dog killer?

Iseedeadpixels

Why post after a year :pac:

Also what happened in the end?