Mailman Caught on Camera Pepper Spraying Dogs Behind a Secure Fence

The United States Postal Service issued an apology after a home surveillance cameras captured a postal worker spraying a customer’s three dogs as they barked at him from behind a secure fence.

Dallas, Texas home owner, Giovanni Baena installed surveillance cameras after suspecting a mail carrier of pepper spraying through the 6-foot tall, metal-reinforced privacy fence that keeps his dogs secured in their yard back in 2016.

So, on December 13, 2018, when it happened again, he had proof. In the video below, Baena’s mail carrier is seen placing mail in the mailbox while holding a can of pepper spray. After depositing the mail, he shakes the can and casually walked by the fence, spraying the dogs – for no apparent reason other than they were barking.

Baena told WFAA that he heard his three dogs barking loudly and then suddenly stop. When he went outside, he found them disoriented. Then he recognized the smell of pepper spray. “I walked outside and caught a whiff, and it smelled like pepper spray. Then I saw it here on the fence and a spatter on the wood.”

When he pulled up surveillance footage, he was shocked to find the mailman had casually pepper sprayed his dogs. He filed a formal complaint with the USPS.

A USPS spokesperson sent the statement below to WFAA:

“The Postal Service strives to always provide the best possible service to our valued customers. It is disappointing when, on rare occurrences, we fall short of that goal. Local management was made aware of this video shortly after the customer brought it to their attention and it has been addressed with the Letter Carrier. This is clearly unacceptable behavior and does not reflect the efforts of the thousands of professional, dedicated Letter Carriers in our workforce. We sincerely apologize to the customer.”

The USPS would not say whether the mailman was fired or moved to another route, something that Baena takes issue with. “I don’t want that guy here again. I don’t want him doing my route,” he said.

He added, “They’re just dogs, they’ll bark at anything.” Baena asserts that his dogs were not a threat and did not deserve to be pepper sprayed for being dogs. All three dogs are doing well.