A Washington state man is suing the United States Postal Service after not receiving his mail for nearly a decade because his previous dog, now deceased, was deemed too threatening.

Randall Ehrlich says he remains blacklisted and put on a “dog hold” for mail service by the USPS despite the passing of his previous dog and his offer to install a mailbox near the sidewalk, rather than receive his mail in the slot next to his door. Ehrlich claims that even when there was no dog living in the house, he remained on the list. Although Ehrlich now has another dog, he maintains this dog, Ilsa, is low-key.

“The regular mail carrier will not deliver to my residence,” Ehrlich said. “They keep on bringing it back to dogs. And I just want to get my mail."

According to news reports, animal attorney Adam Karp is now helping Ehrlich file a lawsuit. “It is not a very common complaint that I get,” Karp said. “So essentially, they make the decisions unilaterally and there's no appeal from that.”

In defense of its position, the USPS issued this statement: "It is important to note that the safety of our employees is paramount at the U.S. Postal Service when we make operational decisions affecting customer service and delivery practices.”

Ehrlich's case is now heading to court.

“I'd rather not be doing this. I'd rather just be getting my mail," Ehrlich said. "I've found no other recourse.”

—Source: fox2now.com