Ch. 9 questions Postal Service about residents not receiving mail

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Viewers are turning to Channel 9 wanting to help people living in part of an east Charlotte neighborhood that hasn't received mail in more than a month.

Channel 9 reported Tuesday that mail carriers won't deliver there after a loose dog attacked one of them.

Eyewitness News questioned the U.S. Postal Service to find out if the disruption should last this long.

One neighbor who asked not to share her identity told Channel 9, “I've called everybody and anybody we could get all the way to Washington."

Regardless of age, it's a major inconvenience.

"I take off work just to get to the post office," another neighbor on Foxford Lane added.

In a letter obtained by Channel 9, the postmaster explained a dog bit a mail carrier Feb. 17. She wrote it is such a problem, the Postal Service sees an estimated $1 million in costs related to bite injuries every year. It sues dog owners in 3,000 to 4,000 cases each year.

The owners of the dog at the center of the case didn't want their faces shown but told Eyewitness News that the dog ran away after the attack.

After the Eyewitness News story aired Tuesday, animal control showed up with a search warrant.

"They looked in the closets, they raided the house, looked for the dog and she wasn't there," Kay Sims said.

he family and its neighbors said they have not seen the dog in a month.

Channel 9 asked about the long disruption, and the Postal Service gave the following statement:

<em>"The United States Postal Service takes very seriously the safety of our employees and the safety of the community we serve. The same dog has bitten letter carriers on more than one occasion and while our employees are vigilant and dedicated, occasionally we are forced to stop mail deliveries in areas threatened by a vicious dog. We apologize for any inconvenience and have redoubled our efforts to locate and address the incident with the pet owner so we can resume service as quickly as possible."</em>

Tom Ouellette

U.S. Postal Service

Corporate Communications

In response to questions about the length of the disruption, a representative said they handle these situations on a case-by-case basis.

Here are more questions and responses received from the Postal Service.

• Q: Is one month typical for a case like this?
• A: Each incident is handled on a case by case basis. Ensuring the safety of our employees and customers is the determining factor.

• Q: How long can an area go without mail delivery and are there any limits on distance or how many other homes should be subjected to having their services suspended?
• A: In some situations, dogs are known to roam the neighborhood. As such, we may ask the other homeowners to pick up their mail at the Post Office until the pet is restrained.

• Q: Outside of a cluster box, are there any more possible exceptions that can be made for sick or elderly?
• A: Customers are encouraged to contact their local Post Office if they have delivery concerns.

Cox Media Group