The days when your local "Postman Pat and his black and white cat" would trundle around the countryside together in peace and harmony appear long gone...
BBC News reports that Royal Mail has stopped delivering post to a house in Yorkshire after an elderly cat called Tiger scratched a postal worker.
Tracy Brayshaw, owner of the cat, says the ban is "a bit silly". "We're talking about a 19-year-old geriatric cat here who likes lazing out in the sun."
Her daughter, Amy, 17, added: "Tiger sleeps, he drools when he sleeps and he likes climbing trees, but in the space of three weeks we've had our post banned because he has attacked the postman.
"Apparently he attacked one on the leg and on the arm and chased him down the garden path.
"He is very territorial but he's just an average cat really.
"He wakes up in the middle of the night meowing because he just wants some attention. He's not a monster."
But Royal Mail are sticking to their guns and issued the following statement: "We are sorry for the inconvenience to Mrs Brayshaw and, as we want to resume delivery of mail to her address as quickly as possible, we're trying to agree a way to do this and avoid our employees suffering further nasty injuries."
Injuries caused by an animal
If you are injured by an animal, you may be entitled to compensation from its owner.
Traditionally, the law divides injuries caused by animals into two categories: (1) injuries caused by domestic animals; and (2) injuries caused by wild animals.
For a domesticated animal like Tiger, an owner will not generally be liable for personal injury unless the owner was negligent. To show this, you would need to establish that the animal was known to have "dangerous" characteristics and that the owner failed to take adequate precautions to prevent it causing injury.
For a wild animal, the law says an owner keeps it at their own risk and is therefore strictly liable for any injury it may cause.
** Additional Information & Advice **
If you've been injured by an animal, you may want to speak with a solicitor who specialises in personal injury law.
You can be matched with a solicitor in your area for free via solicitor matching services, which can also help you to understand the best course of action for your situation and whether you are ready to hire a solicitor.
In addition, they may be able to help you find a solicitor who will agree to take your case on a "no win no fee" basis, which means you don't have to pay for the solicitor's services unless you win your case.
