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Caines said affected residents first had to pick up their mail at the Paul Martin Building, but have since been redirected to the retail location at 401 Ouellette, where they have been assigned mailboxes until the issue can be resolved.

“Our priority is the safety of our employees and when dogs present a threat we contact the owner and request the dogs be restrained when our delivery agents are working in the area,” Caines said by email. “We ask the pet owner to provide a signed letter of assurance that their dog/dogs will be kept inside or restrained as not to be a threat to our employees.

“We have tried several times to get the dog owner to comply but he so far has refused to co-operate. Once the situation is rectified we will resume delivery to the area immediately.”

Melanie Coulter, executive director of the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society, said her agents visited the house to explain the leash bylaw after receiving a complaint. She said loose dogs can pose a risk to people and animals alike.

“The worst-case scenario, which has happened in the last couple of months here, is when dogs are roaming free they can cause injury to other animals,” Coulter said. “Even a friendly dog, if they’re in a frightening situation, can have issues with people.

“Plus, there can be serious injuries to the dogs themselves. Unfortunately, one of the things that commonly happens when dogs are running free is that they get hit by cars.”

Neighbours say the pet owner in question lives in the 1300 block of Howard and often walks three bull mastiff-type dogs in the area without leashes. The dogs barked from inside when Windsor Star reporters knocked on the door last week, though the occupant wasn’t home.

A Facebook page that neighbours say contains videos of the owner walking three dogs in the area, sometimes with two cats in tow, shows that the animals seem well-behaved — but large.

“I don’t blame any mail person for not coming here,” neighbour Laurie Lagace said. “I wouldn’t come here to deliver anything. They’re big dogs. I love animals but I’ve seen them chase people.

“We have our own mailbox downtown now but there are a lot of elderly and disabled people in this area and they won’t be able to get it there. We’re not very happy about it.”

cpearson@postmedia.com

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