saw this on the news...

[peachesandchubby]

Dogs hold mail carrier 'hostage'
By STEVE MARRONI
Evening Sun Reporter
Article Launched: 02/28/2008 10:36:52 AM EST


Click photo to enlargeStephanie Dekelbaum tries to lead her dogs, Judge and Justice, back into her West Manheim...«12345»Maybe the theory comes from cartoons, but it's generally believed that dogs and mailmen are archenemies.

That theory was tested Wednesday in West Manheim Township.

Police responded to 960 Grand Valley Road after rural-route letter carrier Robin Barton called from her cell phone, telling police she was trapped in her vehicle.

Barton, who usually does not cover that route, drove up the long, steep driveway to the Dekelbaum residence to deliver a package. As she turned around at the top of the hill near the house, a Rottweiler and a pit-bull mix attacked her Jeep Cherokee.

"Yes, I was frightened," she said later.

Barking and growling, the dogs ran around in a fury and attacked her tires. They snipped, bit and snarled and flattened three of them. The owners were not home to round up their dogs, and Barton was trapped.

The dogs, Judge and Justice, stayed in the yard, not letting her go.

An underground electronic "fence" kept them from leaving the yard, owner Stephanie Dekelbaum said later.

When West


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Manheim Police pulled up the driveway, the dogs charged the cruiser, barking and striking at one of the tires. Police pulled back down to the road so as not to get stuck there with Barton.
Police Chief Tim Hippensteel said he had never seen anything like it before.

Two police cruisers were parked at the bottom of the hill. Judge and Justice stood watch over the Jeep. The canines had the high ground, but were stuck there because of the electronic fence.

It was a standoff, and they had a hostage.

Police couldn't reach the homeowners. The only way to save Barton now was to bring in an expert, Hippensteel said. They called animal control officer Terry Hemler.

The plan, he said, was for Hemler to shoot tranquilizers at Judge and Justice. With the dogs unconscious, they could bring in a tow truck to haul out Barton's jeep, rescuing her and ensuring the 10 houses left on her route would get their parcels that day.

Tranquilizers were not needed, though. Dekelbaum drove her yellow Mustang down the road, and was surprised to see two police cruisers, with flashing lights, and an animal control truck outside her house.

She pulled up the driveway, got out of her car, and the dogs turned instantly from Cujos into happy, bounding puppies.

"They're generally sweethearts," she said, blaming a recently acquired tire toy for the attack on Barton's vehicle.

The dogs followed her into the house, frolicking and playing, glad their owner was home.

And Barton was free.

Despite being trapped for nearly two hours, she still likes dogs. In fact, this letter carrier breaks the stereotype about dogs and letter carriers. She raises beagles.

Dekelbaum apologized, and Barton left with acting postmaster Bobbi Pfaff to finish her route.
Dogs hold mail carrier 'hostage' - Evening Sun

Read the article and then the comments after....goes to show you what the general stupid public still thinks about rottweilers and pitts, but I was suprised to see that there was people taking up for them also.

[hokisteph5]

My mom saw this on the news and told me about it. The mail carrier apparently comesacross differently on the news than she does in this article. My mom's convinced she'll be filing workman's comp.

I don't understand why she didn't just back up and not deliver the package? I was just looking at cabins in a more rural area of VA. A couple of the places have owners who think it's okay to let their dogs run loose. I kept driving. I was driving slow, but I didn't stop.

[dawnadkins]

As a mail carrier I can somewhat relate to this story. However, what burns me is that the main reason this story got out was because of the breed. Nevermind that a Labrador tried to jump through a window at one of my co-workers, and there have been several other times that dogs of other breeds or mixes have been just as bad!! Indeed, if a problem was seen from the start, the carrier should have left the scene and left a notice for the customer, and reported the issue to the postmaster, so the customer could be alerted. People will believe what they want, I guess.

[Janus'sMom]

I have to laugh at this... our mail box is across the street from our house since we live in the country. But the mail carrier had a package to deliver. She said she pulled into the driveway and saw the pup and she ellegedly beeped the horn (which I never heard). She refused to deliver the package cause Janus was outside. HE'S ONLY 4 MONTHS OLD! How could a lil pup scare off a mail carrier? (not to mention I never leave him outdoors unattended! so I don't think she actually came to the house. I think she went to the neighbor's house, who has a black GSD.)

[maddieandmason]

I don't understand why she didn't just reverse out of there, the dogs would not sit there and get run over.. Sounds to me if she was feeling a claim coming on..