New data has revealed that more than 49 mail deliverers—posties, in Australian slang—are being attacked by dogs every week, leading Australia Post to call on councils to act to reduce the risk.
The research, which covers the past six months, shows 1,277 dog-related incidents have occurred nationwide despite pleas for dog owners to take responsibility for their pets.
Queensland continues to be the most perilous state in the country for posties, with 505 incidents during the survey period, with the locales of Darra, Stafford, and Toowoomba being particularly bad.
New South Wales recorded 367 attacks, Western Australia 152, Victoria 114, and South Australia 90.
The Australian Capital Territory was the safest place to deliver the mail, with just three dog-related incidents, while the Northern Territory recorded 24 and Tasmania 22.
One in three attacks occurred at customers’ front doors during parcel deliveries, so there are fears that those numbers will continue to rise in the lead-up to the holiday season, with parcels delivered to almost every household in Australia, not just as presents but as consumers purchase online from Black Friday sales.
In an attempt to head off the problem, Australia Post is calling on local councils to enforce local animal bylaws to ensure the safety of posties and the community.
Councils are already alerted about more serious cases, and all posties are equipped with a hazard device to log aggressive dog behaviour.
More than 29,000 active dog-related hazards have been recorded nationally, and many are expected to remain unresolved as owners refuse to act.
Australia Post General Manager of Safety and Wellbeing, Rod Maule, stressed the importance of councils implementing stronger measures to prevent dog attacks, including increased monitoring and enforcement of animal management laws.
“Dog attacks remain one of the highest safety concerns for our people,” he said. “As we head into our peak season and delivery volumes increase, there is a serious concern for the physical and mental wellbeing of our posties, particularly around dogs.
“Aggressive or dangerous dogs are reported to council and local rangers; however too often we see risks are not properly mitigated. This often leads to multiple instances of the same dog repeating aggressive behaviour, which can result in a severe attack on our postie.
“As the holiday season approaches, dog owners need to be mindful that all visitors, including posties, should have safe access to the front door without being stopped by a dog. Dog ownership comes with responsibilities, and we need council support to effectively enforce laws and regulations to ensure the safety of our people,” Maule said.
Posties will not make a delivery if it is unsafe for them to do so and will cease deliveries to a customer’s home until the danger is resolved.
Australia Post asks that dog owners always keep front gates securely closed and, where possible, secure their pets in the back garden. If the dog is in the house when the postie calls, the dog should be put in another room before opening the door.
And if none of that is possible, they suggest people use one of their 24/7 parcel lockers instead.
Last financial year Australia Post delivered more than 2.5 billion items to 12.7 million delivery points. It employs an extended workforce of more than 64,000 people.
