A mum says her daughter was left in tears after her video doorbell captured a postman appearing to kick their dog while delivering a parcel to their home. Footage from the woman's Ring video doorbell shows the member of Royal Mail staff at the door of her Greater Manchester home, which was opened by her teenager daughter one morning last month.
In the footage, the postman can be heard muttering a few words before passing the parcel to the girl. The family's dog can then be seen running towards the open door, barking.
The man appears to kick the dog, which then tumbles across the driveway before getting to its feet. The postman then leaves.
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The mum says her daughter approached her in tears following the incident. She claims the dog now wets itself every time the doorbell rings.
The Manchester Evening News understands the incident has been discussed internally with the postman involved and he has claimed the dog nipped him on the ankle, with his subsequent action a reactionary reflex.
In a letter seen by the M.E.N, Royal Mail have apologised for the upset caused. Bosses point out that 33 of their delivery workers are injured by dogs every week in the letter.
The mother said: "My dog is terrified of going to the door and when the doorbell goes, he wets himself and is visibly shaking.
"My daughter answered the door for the delivery. I was outside hanging washing up and she ran in and told me what had happened. My daughter was very upset. She was crying her eyes out and she's not an emotional kid."
The mum said she made a formal complaint to Royal Mail.
The letter she was sent reads: "We wish to again express our regret and offer our apologies once more for the upset, especially to your young daughter. Royal Mail staff are family people, with cats, dogs and other pets and we fully appreciate what a huge part of a home they are.
"That said, 33 Royal Mail staff are attacked by dogs every week and a lot of our colleagues have seen small nips, through to life-changing injuries on friends at work.
"We work closely with our health and safety team to ensure our staff are fully aware of the dangers of loose animals. We employ an absolute AVOID policy, whereby mail is returned to the office for a safe attempt delivery should any loose animals or pets be looking to what they see as defending their family, or space."
A Royal Mail spokesperson said in a statement: "Royal Mail treats all dog attacks on our postmen and postwomen very seriously. Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety of our people who provide a valuable service to our customers.
"The vast majority of dog owners are very responsible and keep their pets under control. However, last year, there were 1,690 dog attacks on postmen 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, particularly at the door and in the garden.
"Customers who would like more information about how to prevent dog attacks when the postman visits their property, can visit our website at www.royalmail.com/dogawareness."
