A Royal Mail postman delivering letters in Leeds was caught on camera kicking a one-year-old cockapoo puppy in the face, igniting outrage online and sparking a heated debate about safety, accountability, and the treatment of animals.

The dog, Bella, had leapt out of a ground-floor window after hearing the garden gate open. As she trotted toward the delivery worker, the man turned and delivered a forceful kick with his right boot, sending the small dog backwards and yelping in pain. The disturbing moment was caught on CCTV installed outside the home of Nikki Walker, Bella’s owner, who was working from home at the time of the incident.

According to the Express, Nikki confronted the postman immediately after hearing her dog cry out.

“Did you kick her?” she asked.

He denied it, saying, “No, I put my leg up to stop her from jumping.”

But when Nikki said she had camera footage, he reportedly replied, “Do what the f*** you want.”

Photo: YouTube / English News

Bella, a one-year-old cockapoo, was the dog involved.

Shocking Footage Prompts Public Outcry

The video was later posted to Facebook, where viewers expressed horror and called for the postman to be dismissed. Bella can be seen running toward the man with her tail wagging before being struck. She rolls back and bolts inside the house to curl up on the sofa, clearly shaken.

“She wasn't barking, she wasn't aggressive,” Nikki told LADbible. “She loves attention and would sit on your knee for hours.”

The footage left Nikki and her daughter “absolutely mortified.” She described herself as “fuming” after watching what happened, and emphasized that Bella had never bitten anyone or shown signs of aggression.

Photo: YouTube / English News

The postman turned and struck her with his right foot.

Royal Mail’s Response and Escalating Tensions

Royal Mail has since removed the postman from Nikki’s route. However, the company’s response has left the family dissatisfied. According to the Daily Mail, the postal service offered Nikki £100 and a home visit to discuss the incident. She declined the latter, requesting all communication in writing.

Adding to the controversy, Royal Mail sent a letter warning that deliveries could be suspended to her home unless Bella was kept secured away from postal staff. The company cited past complaints from two other workers who said the dog growled at them.

“They’re acting like my dog is dangerous,” Nikki told the Ealing Times. “It’s not like she’s a rottweiler or an Alsatian.”

To comply, the family has spent about £80 to build a new fence and gate.

“They sent the warning in a letter,” Nikki added with a hint of irony.

Divided Public, Same Questions

Social media users erupted with calls to fire the postman, describing the footage as “disgusting.” Some questioned whether Bella should have been loose, but Nikki pushed back.

“She was in her own garden—not running wild,” she said.

According to a spokesperson from Royal Mail, employee safety remains the top concern, citing over 2,200 dog-related incidents with postal workers in the UK last year, some resulting in life-altering injuries.

“We continue to appeal to dog owners to secure their pets when the postie arrives,” the spokesperson told the Hampshire Chronicle.

Still, for Nikki and Bella, the focus remains on justice and healing. “If he’d done that to my last dog,” Nikki said, “he’d have killed her.”