Postman caught on camera kicking blind shih tzu 'like a football', with pet dying from organ failure

By KRISTINA WEMYSS, GENERAL NEWS REPORTER Published: 13:53, 16 July 2026 | Updated: 13:54, 16 July 2026 A postman wearing an England shirt has been caught on camera kicking a blind shih tzu ‘like a football’ - with it later dying from organ failure. Owner Eve Lewis, 40, said the man denied attacking her dog Ethel, but Ring doorbell footage showed that he had, just seconds after he handed over a parcel. The 11-year-old pet was partially blind and had only one tooth, so posed no threat, Ms Lewis said. ‘The driver was walking away and still made the effort to turn around and kick her. ‘He didn’t just kick her, he toe punted her like she was a football. She flew up in the air and hit the ground and rolled three times.’ The NHS worker, who lives with her five-year-old son and their other dog, Stanley, a French bulldog, described her panic after the attack. She took Ethel from their home in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to the vets’, but was told she could not be saved. ‘Her blood pressure dropped and they put tubes up her nose. Then they said there’s internal bleeding. Ms Lewis made the difficult decision to put Ethel down after the vet said she had suffered irreversible brain damage ‘At this point, I’m thinking, “This literally can’t be happening.” From then on, it was just a complete blur. ‘I went home overnight, but when I came back to the vets’ in the morning, she was pretty much already out of it.’ Ms Lewis made the difficult decision to put Ethel down after the vet said she had suffered irreversible brain damage. She told The Sun: ‘We always called her Ethel 2.0 because after every surgery she had she would bounce back, but she didn’t make it this time. She was an old gal. ‘I just don’t want this to happen to anyone else. I’m heartbroken and angry. I’ve gone through about 100 packs of tissues.’ It is understood the postman has been suspended by Royal Mail. Vets listed Ethel’s cause of death as organ failure caused by blunt force trauma. A Royal Mail spokesman said: ‘We are deeply sorry for this distressing incident, and we know how upsetting it is for the family. ‘We are treating this matter very seriously. We have seen the footage and launched a full investigation to establish the circumstances. We have also confirmed to the family that we will cover the veterinary costs. ‘We take animal welfare and the safety of our people very seriously. Dog-related incidents can present a serious risk to postal workers, and we will take any appropriate action once our investigation is complete.’  A Thames Valley police spokesman said: 'No arrests have been made but there are ongoing enquiries regarding animal welfare and criminal damage incidents.'