A local United States Postal Service office is investigating an Otay Mesa man's claim that a mail carrier pepper sprayed his dog on multiple occasions.
Alfonso Galindo said he caught on surveillance video at least 10 instances where his dog squirms on the ground in pain after his mail carrier stopped to deliver his mail.
In the video, shared with NBC 7, the mail carrier appears to have a black canister in his hand but the moment the dog is allegedly sprayed is not captured. Following the mail carrier's stop at the home, the dog rubs his face and body on the ground for several minutes, the video shows.
Galindo "combed through the surveillance video and noticed that every time the mailman passes by the dog, it convulses in some sort of ritual of pain," he said. It's really disturbing to see."
Galindo said after seeing the video, he filed a police report last Wednesday and a claim with the USPS on Thursday. The USPS said they have spoken with Galindo directly and are investigating the allegations.
In a statement to NBC 7, USPS apologized to the family and said: "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 same day Galindo filed a claim with USPS, he also received a letter from the post office that said he needed to move his mailbox or the postmaster would cancel mail service to his home, he told NBC 7.
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He said the letter just added salt to the wound.
"Never did I suspect the mailman Never did I suspect somebody that you trust with your mail, with your packages," Galindo said. "It was heartbreaking, it was really heartbreaking."