Loose Dogs Leave Residents Without Mail for Two Weeks
www.panews.com
February 25, 2005, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS -- Some Port Arthur residents began receiving their mail again on Thursday after a two week dry spell caused by a pair of pit bulls that have been scaring away the mail carrier.
Two pit bulls that were breaking loose from where they were chained at their owner's home frightened the carrier enough that he chose to not deliver mail to other nearby houses.
Several neighbors began complaining to the postal service about not receiving mail and demanded a solution. The Port Arthur postal service contacted Port Arthur animal control to assist the postal service in delivering the mail.
"The dog pound has been giving citations to the dog owners and has been keeping an eye on the dogs, when they can, while we deliver the mail," Beverly Raymond, supervisor of the Port Arthur post office, said.
Raymond said she commends the Humane Society of Southeast Texas for doing all they can to help get the mail out. Even though the mail is back en route to the residents of 30th Street, several people are upset over how the dogs have affected their lives.
Larry McCown, 64, who lives on the same street as the dogs, said the mail has not been delivered to him or several of his neighbors for two weeks. "The dogs are chained, but they break the chains and then get loose. And we have small kids that run around the street," McCown said.
As a veteran, McCown said he has been prescribed medication that comes to him in the mail, but, because of the dogs, he has not received his prescription for a while.
Another 30th Street resident, Michael Ellis, said he has also been troubled by the dogs scaring away the mail carrier.
Because of the dogs, Ellis who is originally from Oklahoma, has had difficulty with the process of via-mail, absentee voting to vote for his candidates.
The dog situation has also stirred up comments among city council members who are working on a resolution to have pit bulls banned from the city.
Council members Delores Prince and Martin Flood said the breed of dog is born vicious and has too much potential for causing dangerous situations. "We are working on hefty fines for people whose dogs get loose, and if that does not help the situation we will push for the ban," Prince said.
Prince, a previous owner of a pit bull, said, "Some dogs of that breed may be responsible and some are not; you never know when a pit bull will attack."
