We’ve all seen the “dogs hate mailmen” cliché played out in countless TV shows and movies. In fact, Pet Helpful says the stereotype is so common, mailmen and delivery drivers are now attending seminars on how to deal with the issue and carrying products designed to keep the dogs away.
One UPS driver, however, is doing everything in his power to win dogs over— and treats and belly rubs are definitely in his arsenal. Driver Sean McCarren is a devoted dog lover who’s created a Facebook community for other delivery drivers to get together and share photos of the dogs on their routes.
According to Bored Panda, “UPS Dogs is a nation-wide network of canine-loving ‘big brown truck’ drivers who post pictures of the pups they become acquainted with along their delivery schedule.” McCarren, who has been working with UPS for nearly 20 years, says meeting friendly dogs is one of the best parts of his career.
In an interview with BuzzFeed News, he says, “I wish we could just hang out with the families and their dogs all day, but it’s just not feasible.”
Five years ago, McCarren did the next best thing; he created the UPS Dogs Facebook group, managing to attract over 511K followers. McCarren acts as the moderator for the page, and he posts photos that are submitted by members.
On the photo below, someone asks, “Are you delivering in Heaven??”
On another, someone captions the pup, writing, “Hey thanks for the package but can we get back to the treat business here?”
According to Bored Panda, the delivery drivers have worked out complex treat-exchange systems with their route pups. On a group member, a driver from Illinois, even tells BuzzFeed News, “I know my customers pretty well, but I know their dogs even better, being the dog lover I am.”
“Some of my customers try to give me dog bones for reimbursement,” he continues. “But I’m not a big fan of that, although I humbly accept them as to not hurt their feelings.”
Although UPS Dogs is not technically connected to UPS the delivery service (aside from the fact that their drivers post photos there), a company spokesperson has told BuzzFeed that UPS executives approve of what the group members are doing.
“It’s a good example of the relationships our employees build with their customers, two- or four-legged!”
For more adorable dog photos like these, be sure to check out the UPS Dogs Facebook page for yourself. Here are some of the highlights:
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