Australia Post concerned by rising dog-bite incidents
Australia Post is urging dog owners to take action as new alarming data reveals 47 Posties are encountering an aggressive or unrestrained dog each week, an average of nine incidents every day.
In the past six months, more than 1,200 dog-related incidents have been reported nationwide — a 5% increase on the same period last year, raising serious concerns for the safety and wellbeing of frontline team members. New South Wales remains the worst offender for dog-related incidents involving Posties in the country, accounting for more than a third of all cases.
Despite repeated warnings, the majority of incidents occur when dogs are not properly secured during deliveries. Almost two-thirds of incidents happen on the street after a dog escapes a property or is roaming freely, with over a third of those incidents involving Posties being chased down the street. More than a third of all incidents take place on a customer’s property, often as a Postie approaches or leaves the front door after making a delivery.
These encounters can escalate quickly, with Posties suffering injuries including bites, puncture wounds, scratches and lacerations. In more serious cases, Posties have been knocked off their vehicles or required hospital treatment.
Australia Post General Manager Safety, Russell Munro said dog-related incidents remain a serious and persistent safety risk for Posties.
“Posties encounter multiple dogs every day while delivering, and some can pose a real safety risk. What seems like a routine delivery can quickly escalate, and our Posties can’t predict how a dog may react, regardless of breed or temperament.
“Our Posties are working hard to deliver parcels safely and on time, and it’s worrying to see the number of incidents increasing. With 9.8 million Aussies shopping online2, deliveries and interactions at the front door are more frequent, creating highly stressful situations for dogs and increasing the risk for our team,” Mr Munro said.
One year on from introducing citronella spray as a last-line-of-defense measure, it continues to play an important role in protecting Posties from aggressive dog encounters. The non-toxic, water-based spray is designed to briefly distract dogs, giving team members time to move to safety, and has proven effective in 95% of cases in the past six months. Posties have reported feeling safer on their rounds, knowing they have an additional tool to protect themselves if faced with an imminent threat.
“While citronella gives our team members an extra layer of protection, prevention remains the most effective solution. If you’re expecting a delivery, make sure your dog is securely contained in another room, behind a locked gate or safely restrained. If you’re unable to do so, we encourage customers to consider using a 24/7 free and convenient Parcel Locker as a safer alternative,” said Mr Munro.
Australia Post reports all dog-related incidents to local councils to support enforcement and mitigate risk, and may suspend deliveries to a property or street where it is unsafe. Australia Post continues to work with local councils and state governments to strengthen animal management laws that better protect our team members.
As Australia’s postal service for more than 216 years, we’re at the heart of every community. Last financial year we delivered 2.2 billion items to 12.8 million delivery points. Australia Post has one of the largest retail networks nationally, with more than 4,000 Post Offices. Australia Post employs people of all ages, genders, and abilities in our extended workforce of more than 64,000 team members, reflective of the diverse communities we operate in. We are proud to be included in the inaugural Indigenous Employment Index with 3% of our workforce identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and we are one of the largest Australian employers to be certified as a Disability Confident Recruiter.
