A postman has been caught on camera routinely pepper-spraying a local family’s small rescue pup.
The devastated Galindo family were only alerted to the alleged animal abuse after repeatedly seeing a strange stain on the front drive of their California home. The dog’s father, Alfonso Galindo decided to investigate and so installed security cameras on the exterior of his family’s house.
After reviewing the footage, this is what Alfonso found:
The footage shows his family’s beloved seven-year-old rescue dog, Pupa, writhing around in pain as a postman exits the approach of the Galindo home in San Diego.
Upon closer inspection, the father-of-two (not including dear Pupa), noticed the postman appeared to spray something from a canister at the poodle’s face, after the dog barks excitably from behind a secure gate.
The video then shows Pupa rubbing her sore face and eyes against the pavement, in a clear bid to rid herself of the reportedly pepper-spray-like material contained in the canister.
Having watched more footage from the security camera, Galindo says Pupa ‘convulses in some sort of ritual pain’ when the postman passes their gate on at least nine different occasions.
He told Fox5:
Never did I suspect the mailman. Never did I suspect somebody that you trust with your mail, with your packages. It was heartbreaking, it was really heartbreaking.
I’m at a loss for words. It makes me sick to my stomach.
In hindsight, he says he remembers noticing the dog’s eyes were bloodshot but thought nothing of it at the time, as the redness cleared up pretty quickly.
To make matters worse, Galindo says his two children – Alfonso Jr., three, and Regina, one – have developed respiratory problems after regularly interacting with Pupa.
He believes his children’s health issues are related to the chemicals in the canister contents used on Pupa, staying on the dog’s fur, although this hasn’t been confirmed by a medical professional as of yet.
Speakign to WDSU, the upset dad concluded:
I get livid thinking about it. This is the health of my children. I believe what he’s done to my family is criminal.
Galindo complained to USPS last week, after making the discovery last Tuesday.
The delivery company issued a statement following an internal investigation:
On behalf of the United States Postal Service, we want to apologize to the Galindo family and Pupa. We do not condone our employees behaving in a manner which is not professional and courteous.
The appropriate personnel and corrective action will be taken as well as training given to all local letter carriers.
The mailman is question remains unidentified to the public.
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A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.