Rathdrum family says Amazon driver injured dog in doorbell video incident

A Rathdrum family says a doorbell camera captured an Amazon third-party delivery driver grabbing their dog Rocky by the neck and slamming him onto the rocks in the front yard, leaving the animal with a broken ankle and other injuries and driving veterinary costs to nearly $10,000.

Joe Hickey and his wife were home when Rocky got out of the backyard and ran toward the delivery driver, setting up the confrontation recorded on the family’s surveillance system. The video aired on KREM 2 on April 8 and spread quickly online after it was shared on X, putting a Kootenai County animal-injury case into the middle of a national debate over how delivery workers are supposed to handle dogs at the door.

Amazon said it was conducting a thorough investigation and working closely with the driver’s employer to make sure appropriate action was taken. No charges had been filed against the driver as of mid-April. In Idaho, animal-cruelty law prohibits cruelty to animals and allows punishment under the state statute, leaving the incident potentially relevant for criminal investigators if prosecutors decide the conduct meets the legal threshold.

The case also highlights the gap between routine delivery training and what families say happened in Rathdrum. Amazon Flex safety materials tell drivers that a paw-print icon in delivery notes can warn them a dog may be at a location, and that drivers who do not feel safe can contact driver support. The United States Postal Service has reported that incidents involving attacks on postal workers rose to more than 6,000 cases in 2024, underscoring how common animal encounters have become in last-mile delivery work.

For Hickey’s family, though, the issue is immediate and local: Rocky’s injuries, the nearly $10,000 bill and the question of accountability after a confrontation that unfolded in a private driveway in Rathdrum. What Amazon’s investigation, the driver’s employer and local authorities do next will determine whether the case remains a viral outrage or becomes a criminal matter under Idaho law.