Australia Post issues warning as dog attacks on posties skyrocket

It’s the busiest time of the year for posties all over the world.

As the holiday season approaches and the number of parcels being sent increases, Australia Post issued a stern warning to pet owners following a significant increase in dog attacks on postal workers.

The surge in incidents has raised concerns about the safety of posties, who are now facing a higher risk of injury during their daily rounds.


Every week, more than 50 postal workers across Australia are reportedly subjected to dog attacks, with Queensland and New South Wales witnessing the most significant rise in incidents.

The suburbs of Tamworth, Nepean, and Alexandria in NSW, Stafford and Darra in Queensland, and Rockingham in Western Australia have been identified as the hotspots for dog-related incidents on a national scale.


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Dog attack incidents on posties have risen. Image source: Freepik.


Queensland recorded the highest number of attacks at 321, closely followed by NSW with 306 incidents.

WA reported 177 dog-related incidents, while Victoria, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Tasmania recorded 103, 68, 9, and 5 incidents respectively.


In light of these alarming figures, Australia Post urges pet owners to ensure their dogs are securely contained, especially during delivery hours.

Rod Maule, Australia Post's General Manager of Safety and Wellbeing, emphasised that most attacks occur at the front door when posties attempt 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,' Maule 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.'

Australia Post is committed to ensuring the safety of its employees and has implemented several preventative measures to reduce dog attacks.

These include a digital hazard tracker that allows posties to log the location of a dangerous dog, alerting other staff members and enabling them to either avoid the house or exercise extra caution during delivery.


Animal behaviour veterinarian Dr Tracey Henderson explained that environmental changes, such as increased home activity due to deliveries, guests, and last-minute maintenance, can trigger fear, anxiety, and stress in pets.

This heightened emotional state can lead to an increased risk of aggression, bites, and attacks.

'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 explained.

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

  • Australian posties are experiencing a sharp increase in dog attacks during deliveries, with over 50 attacks recorded each week.
  • Queensland and NSW have recorded the largest increases in dog attacks, with Stafford and Darra in Queensland and Tamworth, Nepean and Alexandria in NSW having the highest number of incidents nationwide.
  • Australia Post requested that pet owners ensure their dogs are secure, with the General Manager of Safety and Wellbeing Rod Maule stating that if it's not safe for their posties to approach a home, they won't be able to deliver.
  • Several preventative measures have been implemented to reduce dog attacks, including a digital hazard tracker that allows posties to log a dangerous dog's location, enabling staff to avoid the house or take extra care.
What are your thoughts on this warning from Australia Post, dear members? Let us know in the comments below.
 
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Until councils get their act together this will continue. We had one lady that was mauled to death by 3 dogs ,maybe 2 years ago they were unregistered and few weeks later an elderly couple were attacked by 2 dogs only blocks from the previous tragedy, the staff in this department should be sacked as all they do is pander to the dog owners, if you complain about barking dogs you get nowhere as you are put through the hoops they hope will stop you complaing.
 
Unfortunately too many people get dogs and then do not take proper care of them.
Council should vet the people wanting dogs so as to rule them out,our council is now going to drop the mandate to desex dogs 🐕 ,and their excuse they will have to pay higher registration ,this is not going to stop the irresponsible ones bringing dogs into the neighbourhood.
 
Ridiculous amount of money is being spent on new years firecrackers. Not only is it very noisy and does it frighten animals, the money should go to the homeless and those doing it tough as the higher cost of living just keeps skyrocketing thanks to current federal govt lies of assistance
Whole thing is a joke considering how the monies spent for fireworks of a few minutes could be better used!!
 
Pet ownership is a responsibility, not a right. Not everyone does the right thing and we could get into quite a discussion, here. Spare a thought for the dog owners who have anonymous, nasty notes put into their letterbox, targeting their pet as barking when in fact it is a case of wrong house, wrong pet. And..... having to deal with a Council dog noise complaint, when they are retired, home most of the time, and their dog only barks when there is reason to.

Don't get me started on irresponsible cat owners.
 
Pet ownership is a responsibility, not a right. Not everyone does the right thing and we could get into quite a discussion, here. Spare a thought for the dog owners who have anonymous, nasty notes put into their letterbox, targeting their pet as barking when in fact it is a case of wrong house, wrong pet. And..... having to deal with a Council dog noise complaint, when they are retired, home most of the time, and their dog only barks when there is reason to.

Don't get me started on irresponsible cat owners.
There would be no need for nasty notes as you say if the the owners controlled their barkers , it is a last resort for victims of bark,in g dogs 🐕, and no I’m not one who does that , I have been abused by barking dog owners just for asking them to control their barking dogs,and have had police intervention to stop their abuse.as for irresponsible 🐱 cat owners that’s another story. I have spent most of my life caring for animals and am appalled 😦 how people get away with how animals are treated.
 
Until councils get their act together this will continue. We had one lady that was mauled to death by 3 dogs ,maybe 2 years ago they were unregistered and few weeks later an elderly couple were attacked by 2 dogs only blocks from the previous tragedy, the staff in this department should be sacked as all they do is pander to the dog owners, if you complain about barking dogs you get nowhere as you are put through the hoops they hope will stop you complaing.
Luckily they have g.u.n. control otherwise I would not hesitate.
 
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It’s the busiest time of the year for posties all over the world.

As the holiday season approaches and the number of parcels being sent increases, Australia Post issued a stern warning to pet owners following a significant increase in dog attacks on postal workers.

The surge in incidents has raised concerns about the safety of posties, who are now facing a higher risk of injury during their daily rounds.


Every week, more than 50 postal workers across Australia are reportedly subjected to dog attacks, with Queensland and New South Wales witnessing the most significant rise in incidents.

The suburbs of Tamworth, Nepean, and Alexandria in NSW, Stafford and Darra in Queensland, and Rockingham in Western Australia have been identified as the hotspots for dog-related incidents on a national scale.


View attachment 36127
Dog attack incidents on posties have risen. Image source: Freepik.


Queensland recorded the highest number of attacks at 321, closely followed by NSW with 306 incidents.

WA reported 177 dog-related incidents, while Victoria, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Tasmania recorded 103, 68, 9, and 5 incidents respectively.


In light of these alarming figures, Australia Post urges pet owners to ensure their dogs are securely contained, especially during delivery hours.

Rod Maule, Australia Post's General Manager of Safety and Wellbeing, emphasised that most attacks occur at the front door when posties attempt 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,' Maule 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.'

Australia Post is committed to ensuring the safety of its employees and has implemented several preventative measures to reduce dog attacks.

These include a digital hazard tracker that allows posties to log the location of a dangerous dog, alerting other staff members and enabling them to either avoid the house or exercise extra caution during delivery.


Animal behaviour veterinarian Dr Tracey Henderson explained that environmental changes, such as increased home activity due to deliveries, guests, and last-minute maintenance, can trigger fear, anxiety, and stress in pets.

This heightened emotional state can lead to an increased risk of aggression, bites, and attacks.

'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 explained.

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

  • Australian posties are experiencing a sharp increase in dog attacks during deliveries, with over 50 attacks recorded each week.
  • Queensland and NSW have recorded the largest increases in dog attacks, with Stafford and Darra in Queensland and Tamworth, Nepean and Alexandria in NSW having the highest number of incidents nationwide.
  • Australia Post requested that pet owners ensure their dogs are secure, with the General Manager of Safety and Wellbeing Rod Maule stating that if it's not safe for their posties to approach a home, they won't be able to deliver.
  • Several preventative measures have been implemented to reduce dog attacks, including a digital hazard tracker that allows posties to log a dangerous dog's location, enabling staff to avoid the house or take extra care.
What are your thoughts on this warning from Australia Post, dear members? Let us know in the comments below.
It is dreadful to think
 
Ridiculous amount of money is being spent on new years firecrackers. Not only is it very noisy and does it frighten animals, the money should go to the homeless and those doing it tough as the higher cost of living just keeps skyrocketing thanks to current federal govt lies of assistance
Whole thing is a joke considering how the monies spent for fireworks of a few minutes could be better used!!
Not only are the councils spending money irresponsibly on firecrackers and frightening animals , there is the problem of air pollution.
 
It’s the busiest time of the year for posties all over the world.

As the holiday season approaches and the number of parcels being sent increases, Australia Post issued a stern warning to pet owners following a significant increase in dog attacks on postal workers.

The surge in incidents has raised concerns about the safety of posties, who are now facing a higher risk of injury during their daily rounds.


Every week, more than 50 postal workers across Australia are reportedly subjected to dog attacks, with Queensland and New South Wales witnessing the most significant rise in incidents.

The suburbs of Tamworth, Nepean, and Alexandria in NSW, Stafford and Darra in Queensland, and Rockingham in Western Australia have been identified as the hotspots for dog-related incidents on a national scale.


View attachment 36127
Dog attack incidents on posties have risen. Image source: Freepik.


Queensland recorded the highest number of attacks at 321, closely followed by NSW with 306 incidents.

WA reported 177 dog-related incidents, while Victoria, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Tasmania recorded 103, 68, 9, and 5 incidents respectively.


In light of these alarming figures, Australia Post urges pet owners to ensure their dogs are securely contained, especially during delivery hours.

Rod Maule, Australia Post's General Manager of Safety and Wellbeing, emphasised that most attacks occur at the front door when posties attempt 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,' Maule 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.'

Australia Post is committed to ensuring the safety of its employees and has implemented several preventative measures to reduce dog attacks.

These include a digital hazard tracker that allows posties to log the location of a dangerous dog, alerting other staff members and enabling them to either avoid the house or exercise extra caution during delivery.


Animal behaviour veterinarian Dr Tracey Henderson explained that environmental changes, such as increased home activity due to deliveries, guests, and last-minute maintenance, can trigger fear, anxiety, and stress in pets.

This heightened emotional state can lead to an increased risk of aggression, bites, and attacks.

'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 explained.

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

  • Australian posties are experiencing a sharp increase in dog attacks during deliveries, with over 50 attacks recorded each week.
  • Queensland and NSW have recorded the largest increases in dog attacks, with Stafford and Darra in Queensland and Tamworth, Nepean and Alexandria in NSW having the highest number of incidents nationwide.
  • Australia Post requested that pet owners ensure their dogs are secure, with the General Manager of Safety and Wellbeing Rod Maule stating that if it's not safe for their posties to approach a home, they won't be able to deliver.
  • Several preventative measures have been implemented to reduce dog attacks, including a digital hazard tracker that allows posties to log a dangerous dog's location, enabling staff to avoid the house or take extra care.
What are your thoughts on this warning from Australia Post, dear members? Let us know in the comments below.
They need some sort of protection and homeowners should be faced with fines. I have a kelpie assistance dog who you is always next to me and friendly, but you never know. Have a sign saying dog on premises and always hold her collar just in case.
 
They need some sort of protection and homeowners should be faced with fines. I have a kelpie assistance dog who you is always next to me and friendly, but you never know. Have a sign saying dog on premises and always hold her collar just in case.
Posties should carry pepper spray..... that would work
 
Where a house is known to have large dogs roaming the postie should just leave a card in the mail box telling which post office the parcel can be picked up from, a few posties do that now due to being too lazy to deliver even small packages that would fit in the mail box.
 
If dog owners are going to fence their yard to accommodate dogs, they should also be prepared to provide a safe access area for posties, meter readers, and anybody else who has a valid reason to enter the property. It could be as simple as fencing off a small corner of the yard where the water meter is already located to include a letterbox and parcel drop-off, plus ensure the power meter is a new 'smart' meter that doesn't require direct access; possibly could even include a doorbell/intercom for if the owner needs to be contacted directly. None of that is a big cost.
 

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