Watch: The postman kicks a dog through the garden

A postman has been filmed kicking a dog in an aisle as Royal Mail insists its staff are increasingly being attacked by pets.

Footage captured on a Ring doorbell camera shows the postman delivering a package to a teenage girl at an address in Greater Manchester.

When the child opens the door, we hear the little dog barking before he runs out.

The postman looks down and kicks the animal, sending it sprawling across the aisle. The Royal Mail worker quickly turns around and leaves.

The girl’s mother says her daughter was upset after the incident.

“My daughter was very upset. She was crying and she’s not an emotional kid,” she said.

The family says the dog is “visibly shaking” and getting wet every time the doorbell rings.

Royal Mail has apologized but noted that 33 of its delivery workers are injured by dogs every week.

The postman involved claimed the animal bit him on the ankle, causing him to kick in an instinctive reaction.

“Life-Changing Wounds”

In a letter apologizing to the family, Royal Mail said: ‘Many of our colleagues have seen small life-changing injuries to friends at work.

“We are working closely with our health and safety team to ensure our staff are fully aware of the dangers of loose animals. We operate a policy of absolute avoidance, whereby mail is returned to the office for safe delivery attempt if loose animals or pets turn in what they consider to be the defense of their family or of their space,” he added.

Last year the Royal Mail published a report which found the number of dog attacks on postal workers and women had fallen by almost a third, mainly due to changes in deliveries due to the pandemic .

According to the report, there were 1,690 incidents with dogs, up from 2,445 in 2019/20, but the company said the number of attacks was still too high, with 33 each week, some of which resulted in injuries permanent and disabling.

Royal Mail chiefs have previously indicated American-style letterboxes could be installed across the UK in a bid to protect their workers from aggressive pets.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Royal Mail treats all dog attacks on our postmen and postmen very seriously. Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our employees who provide valuable service to our customers.

“The vast majority of dog owners are very responsible and keep their animals under control. However, last year there were 1,690 dog attacks on postal workers and women in the UK – some resulting in life-changing injuries.

“We continue to appeal to dog owners and their families to help reduce the number of attacks, especially at the door and in the garden.

“Customers who want more information on how to prevent dog attacks when the postman visits their property can visit our website.”