Australia Post warning amid spike in dog attacks on posties

Australian posties are feeling the bite in the lead-up to Christmas amid a sharp rise in dog attacks during deliveries.

More than 50 postal workers are attacked every week, with Queensland and NSW recording the sharpest rise.

Tamworth, Nepean and Alexandria in NSW, Stafford and Darra in Queensland and Rockingham in WA have the highest number of dog-related incidents nationally.

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Queensland recorded 321 attacks, with NSW close behind at 306.

WA had 177 dog-related incidents, Victoria 103, South Australia 68, the Northern Territory nine and five in Tasmania.

Pet owners are being urged to make sure their dogs are secure.

Australia Post general manager of safety and wellbeing Rod Maule said attacks were most frequently happening at the front door as posties tried to deliver packages.

“It takes just a second to secure your dog in another room and it makes the world of difference to our team members,” he said.

“This is our busiest time of year, in fact in all metro capitals and some regional cities and towns we are now delivering up to seven days a week, so it’s more important than ever to keep dogs secure.

“We know our customers are eager to get their deliveries however our team’s safety comes first and if it’s not safe for our posties to approach a home, then they won’t be able to deliver.”

Along with training staff, Australia Post has introduced several preventative measures to reduce dog attacks.

This includes a digital hazard tracker that allows posties to log a dangerous dog’s location, alerting other staff and allowing them to avoid the house or take extra care.

Animal behaviour veterinarian Dr Tracey Henderson said environmental changes — such as homes becoming busier with deliveries, guests and last-minute maintenance — can create heightened feelings of fear, anxiety and stress in pets.

“When cortisol levels are elevated, dogs find it hard to regulate their response to things that threaten or frighten them, which in turn can result in an increased risk of aggression, bites and attacks,” Henderson said.

“Even dogs that are ordinarily calm, friendly or welcoming can show uncharacteristically protective or aggressive behaviours when experiencing prolonged periods of stress.”