Beware of the deaf, arthritic, 15-year-old dog: Royal Mail threatens to blacklist OAP after postmen brand her elderly pet a 'menace'

By SIMON TOMLINSON

Good-natured: Bobby is comforted by owner Ann Ryan after they were slapped with a warning by Royal Mail for frightening postmen

Bobby the dog is 15 years old, deaf and crippled with arthritis.

Yet despite his condition, he still faces being put on Royal Mail's blacklist after officials claimed he was menacing postmen.

Owner Ann Ryan, 72, received a letter threatening to stop delivering mail to her house in Stockport, Greater Manchester.


Furious: Mrs Ryan says Bobby has never posed a physical threat and often leaves her grandchildren with him

It said postmen would stop calling if there were 'any further incidents' and advised her to make sure her Bobby did not have access to areas of her property used by the postman.

Mrs Ryan said she believed the warning had been issued because Bobby, who is on painkillers, had simply barked at a delivery man.

She said the dog was either kept on his lead or behind a padlocked iron gate and that, in the 13 years she has had him, he had never attacked anyone.


In writing: The letter sent to Mrs Ryan claiming her postman was 'being menaced' by Bobby and asking for her co-operation in 'preventing an unfortunate incident'

Mrs Ryan, from Offerton, said: 'Bobby can hardly walk with his arthritis. This letter was totally out of the blue, just because my dog barked at somebody.

'If a postman is frightened of a dog barking they should get a new job. Bobby is not a menace, he is good natured and exceptionally good with children.

'I leave my grandkids with him and he has never posed a physical threat.'


Cautious: Postmen say they will stop calling at Mrs Ryan's house if there were 'any further' incidents

Mrs Ryan, a volunteer for Cancer Research UK, added: 'Barking is what dogs do, they do it to protect the property.

'The postman has free access onto my property and I always have my eye on Bobby, who is either on a lead, in the house or behind a locked gate.

'You do everything right and someone sends a letter like this. I am so angry, it is red tape gone mad.'


source: dailymail