MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The United States Postal Service has stopped delivering mail to a street in North Memphis indefinitely.
Watts Avenue, between Wells Station Road and Russwood Road, is sometimes lined with as many as six stray dogs at once, and mail carriers are tired of it.
“Three months ago, we started having some problems with stray dogs in the neighborhood," Kynerd said. “Starting three or four weeks ago we stopped getting mail all together."
Robert Kynerd said the lack of mail deliveries is not only inconvenient, but a slippery slope to a missed payment.
“It’s kind of tough to pay your bill on time if you don’t get your bill on time,” Kynerd said.
USPS sent ABC24 this statement:
"There are several dogs roaming the neighborhood with no known address(es) of the owner(s). Local postal management, following USPS guidelines, notified customers via letter regarding the issue of loose dogs and that their mail delivery is temporarily affected. We are making attempts daily to deliver in this area; however, the safety of our carriers is paramount. Mail and packages are available for pickup at the local post office for customers in this location, until a resolution can be found."
While the attempts to deliver are made, Kynerd said they don’t come without a little bit of scheduling.
“Under special arrangement, we called the post office and told them 'Send them out. Have the carrier honk the horn, and we’ll come out and get them,'” he said.
Robert and his neighbors don’t blame USPS, but he doesn’t like driving to the post office for bills.
“We’re at the other side of Hollywood. That’s a pretty fair drive.”
He also doesn’t like having to call MPD to wrangle the dogs, and he proposed a solution to manage the roaming animals.
“Dog catchers,” Kynerd said. “Tell people, 'If your dog is roaming free, we’re going to pick your dog up. It's going to cost you X amount of dollars to get your dog back. If you don’t come and get your dog, we’re going to bill you to put your dog down.'”
Robert said he likes dogs, but he’s tired of dealing with them and feels bad for the USPS drivers. He hopes for the sake of him, his neighbors and mail carriers, that the owners will handle their dogs soon, or neighbors will have to contact the non-emergency police once again.