HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The small mailbox subsequent to Lucille Johnson’s entrance door has been gathering mud for months.
“It ain’t nothing occupying that mailbox however bugs,” Johnson mentioned.
After we spoke with Johnson in early January, her mail hadn’t been delivered in months. She understood why her mail service stopped final August after a free canine was present in her neighborhood.
“I would not even have put my life in jeopardy for no one over no canine. I understood the canine half,” she mentioned.
However Johnson mentioned the canine and its proprietor moved months in the past, and she or he’s having to select up her mail from the publish workplace as an alternative of getting it delivered to her residence.
“This has been happening for about 4 months or so. The canine has been gone for about two months now,” she mentioned.
13 Investigates contacted the U.S. Postal Service to ask why Johnson and her neighbors weren’t getting mail. After we inquired, mail service resumed.
USPS did not inform us why their service was suspended for months however as an alternative despatched us an announcement.
“The US Postal Service takes very severely the protection of our staff and the protection of the group we serve. Whereas our letter carriers are vigilant and devoted, sometimes we should quickly droop mail supply at an tackle, if our worker is threatened by a vicious canine. The Postal Service all the time seeks to revive mail supply as shortly as potential, so long as our carriers can achieve this safely. On this explicit scenario, native administration on the Oak Forest Put up Workplace stories that supply has resumed and can proceed uninterrupted so long as we will achieve this safely.”
13 Investigates discovered that Houston ranked second within the nation for canine assaults on USPS mail carriers final 12 months.
There have been 65 assaults on postal staff in Los Angeles final 12 months, 56 assaults in Houston, and 48 assaults in Chicago, in line with USPS knowledge.
“When a mail service delivers mail or packages to your door, put your canine in a separate room and shut that door,” USPS mentioned in an announcement.
Rebecca Hardy, who additionally lives on Johnson’s road, mentioned at any time when their mail service stopped, she must drive 10 miles spherical journey to the publish workplace not less than 3 times every week to select up her payments and medicine.
She mentioned she is glad to get her mail proper exterior her entrance door.
“We have been getting mail since final Friday, and it has been glorious,” Hardy mentioned. “Thanks. I am grateful.”
For updates on this story, comply with Nick Natario on Fb, X and Instagram.
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