Australia Post urges dog owners to secure pets as attacks on postal workers spike ahead of Christmas
Australia Post is urging dog owners to keep their pets safe as new figures reveal 46 postal workers a week are bitten or threatened by dogs.
There have been nearly 1,200 dog-related incidents across the country in the past six months, with numbers expected to rise as parcel deliveries increase during the busy Christmas season.
Despite repeated warnings, aggressive and unpredictable dog behavior continues to put frontline postal staff at serious risk.
One in three incidents occur at the front door of a customer’s property or as postmen approach or leave to deliver packages.
62 percent occur on the streets, and more than 80 percent involve dogs roaming freely without their owners.
Worryingly, one in three street incidents involved a postman being chased by a dog.
Footage from Australia Post shows a postman at the front door being tackled to the ground by a dog, with the homeowner trying to restrain the animal and fending it off by kicking wildly.
Another clip shows a dog jumping in front of a postman’s bike, colliding with it and overturning it.
Additional videos show mailmen being chased and bitten, highlighting the real dangers they face on the job.
Australia Post has implemented safety measures, including citronella spray, which has proven effective in 90 per cent of cases by causing dogs to retreat and giving postmen time to escape.
Deliveries to properties where attack dogs threaten staff will be suspended.
Australia Post general manager of security Russell Munro said simple actions from dog owners could make a critical difference.
“Our mailers want to be able to deliver to our customers without fear of being attacked or chased by a dog,” Mr Munro said.
“We would urge all owners, regardless of breed or temperament, to keep their dogs safely under control while they await delivery.
He said despite the introduction of citronella spray, which has proven to be beneficial, there were still “too many” cases of aggressive dog behavior.
“We have seen the number of cases rise over the last six months, which shows there is more work to be done to keep our police stations safe,” Mr Munro said.
“If you’re expecting a package delivery, our app makes it easy to stay informed about up-to-date delivery times and now shows you a timely reminder to put your dog in another room or behind a door,” Mr Munro said.
NSW is the worst-hit state, surpassing Queensland, with 342 cases in areas including Penrith, Warabrook, Villawood and Moree.
In Queensland, there were 325 incidents in Darra, Stafford and Toowoomba.
Western Australia reported 188 cases in Wangara, Rockingham, Bentley and Bunbury, while Victoria saw 179 cases in Mooroolbark, Sunshine West and Essendon Fields.
In South Australia, there were 80 cases in Glynde, Port Adelaide and Gawler, and in Tasmania, 38 cases were recorded in Launceston, Western Shore and Devonport.
Both the Northern Territory and the ACT reported 21 incidents in places including Darwin, Eaton, Alice Springs, Palmerston, South Canberra, Mitchell and Tuggeranong.
Australia Post advises dog owners to follow the three steps of PAWS: Sit, Stay, Be Safe.
If owners are unable to secure their pets, use of a nearby Pack Locker is recommended.
All dog-related incidents are reported to local councils for enforcement and risk reduction purposes.
