Canadian letter carrier suspended after kicking dog

WINNIPEG, Canada (Reuters) -- A Canadian letter carrier faces suspension after he kicked an aggressive poodle while trying to deliver mail to the dog owner's house.

Paul Schellenberg, who has delivered mail for 24 years in Winnipeg, has been taken off his regular route and faces a ten-day suspension for kicking the dog.

Canada Post officials said the incident, which took place about two weeks ago, confirmed Thursday there had been a complaint by a home-owner against him for using excessive force against the small dog.

The letter carrier's union plans to file a grievance against Canada Post on the basis that the discipline was unjust.

"We were shocked, really. We've never had a letter carrier suspended for this in the past," Bob Tyre, a union officer told Reuters Thursday.

"Apparently the customer is saying that the dog had a lesion on his lip and I guess the contact with Paul's foot cut that lesion open, and I guess there was a lot of blood," said Tyre.

Schellenberg was quoted by local newspapers as saying he did not kick the dog hard.

"I took a step toward it and I kicked it so it would get out of my way," he said. "It wasn't a poodle-punt or anything like that. It was more like a brushing off."

Schellenberg was unhurt. He said the dog's owner witnessed the attack but did not call the dog off.

Union officials said the public should realize the perils posed by nasty dogs.

"People may focus on (the fact) it was just a poodle-sized dog...but it's the puncture that's the key," said Tyre. "Smaller animals are generally much quicker. They go for the ankles where you can't reach and they have much sharper teeth."

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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