UPS has issued an apology to a dog owner and to their customer, a senior living facility in Atascadero, California, after a video of one of their drivers sparked an uproar on social media. In the video, the driver is shown kicking a small white dog and then proceeding to assault the owner, who watched the event take place just a few feet away from the UPS fleet vehicle.
The owner, Tim Paulsen, brings his dog Patch to work to help sooth the alzheimer’s residents. He believes more should be done about the altercation. The video itself has no sound but Paulsen spoke out to KSBY News, revealing what really happened and what actions he plans to take against the UPS driver.
In the video, Patch and another small dog are seen trotting toward the driver. He sees them, freezes, and then proceeds to kick Patch down, sending him spinning on his back, before returning to his delivery. Next, Paulsen is seen running up to the driver. As he approaches, he is jolted back by two aggressive shoves from the driver. There are some angry words exchanged and then the driver storms off, back to his delivery. One last heated exchange takes place before the video cuts off.
Paulsen expresses his belief that UPS should be doing more than just an apology. Atascadero Police Department confirmed that he has pressed battery charges against the UPS Employee as well as opened an investigation into possible animal cruelty. UPS has expressed that during driver training, their employees are told to protect themselves when necessary if animals interfere on the job, however after viewing the video, they have stated that they do not condone this driver’s behavior and that they would be taking disciplinary action against him.
Link to video: https://www.nbcnews.com/video/caught-on-camera-ups-driver-kicks-dog-480517187936