Scots postie viciously mauled by out-of-control Alsatian

Scott Maxwell was mauled by the dog as he was out on his rounds in Wishaw.

A postman left fearing for his life after he was viciously mauled by an out-of-control Alsatian has backed calls for a crackdown on dangerous dog.

Scott Maxwell, 46, was nearing the end of his round when he was attacked by the beast outside a house in Overtown, Wishaw, on Saturday, July 20.

The postie approached the property to deliver their mail, but noticed the door had been left open so he threw the letters inside the door. But seconds later, he noticed the 'massive' dog running downstairs towards him. He heard it snarling and barking and tried to run away before it sank his teeth into him.

Speaking to the Record, Scott said: "I didn't get far. I felt its teeth clamping down on the back of my leg.

"The force of it made me lose my footing and I fell, but it wouldn't release its grip. Eventually it let go but it was trying to climb on top of me and I was thrashing my legs to stop it, but it kept biting them.

"I was panicking and really feared for my life because it was such a big dog and seemed completely deranged.

"I was just kicking out aimlessly and I felt my boot connect with its head. Then it backed off a bit and I managed to get to my feet.

"People from neighbouring properties had come out of their houses at this stage and were shouting at the dog and that seemed to distract it enough for me to get out of the gate."

The woman who owned the dog eventually came outside, but Scott claims that she didn't seem concerned.

Scott has been delivering mail on the route for 12 years and had never seen the dog before. He says if he knew it lived there he wouldn't have walked up to the door while it was lying open.

He continued: "I have been bitten by dogs before and it is something of an occupational hazard in this line of work. But this was different and the first time I have felt seriously threatened doing my job.

"I spoke to a council worker recently while out on my rounds and he said this dog attacked him too. Something has to be done because if it attacks a child or an elderly person. It could kill them."

Scott says the incident has had a severe impact on him. He was taken to Wishaw General Hospital after the attack where he was given stitches for his wounds and was told by a nurse he would be scarred for life.

But the postie's mental health has also been impacted and the attack has left him traumatised.

The owner of the dog has had their mail suspended but Scott has to walk by the house every day and he says he dreads having to do so from the minute he starts his shift.

The union representing posties, the Communications Workers Union (CWU), are calling for a crackdown on dangerous dogs in Scotland to better protect the public.

This comes after postal worker Kirsteen Hobson suffered severe injuries during a “brutal” attack by a German Shepherd in Oban in December last year.

Scott is backing these calls for a safer working environment for posties.

He added: "I have been a postman for 27 years but am hearing of loads more incidents nowadays. In recent years people seem to be buying bigger dogs for protection.

"Now that we need to deliver so many parcels from online deliveries, you need to chap the door and hand them over, so that obviously leads to more contact with dogs. Things have changed so something now needs to be done to offer more protection for us."

A North Lanarkshire Council spokesperson said: “We were made aware of two incidents in July involving a dog attacking two individuals, a council employee and a Royal Mail employee.

"The incidents were referred to Police Scotland to investigate in terms of the Dangerous Dogs Act and in line with the nationally agreed joint working protocol.

“A behavioural assessment on the dog is scheduled to be carried out by our Animal Welfare Officer and any further action by the council will be decided based on this assessment.”

Police Scotland has been contacted for comment.

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