As Christmas parcels arrive on doorsteps across Victoria, Australia Post is urging dog owners to secure their pets.
The postal call follows a sharp increase in the number of dog attacks injuring Australia Post workers.
Executive General Manager of People and Culture at Australia Post, Susan Davies said nearly 1,000 Posties had been attacked across Australia by household dogs over the past five months.
“In a concerning trend, the number of dog-related incidents recorded by Australia Post has increased more than 55 per cent, with an average of almost seven incidents reported each day since July 2022, compared to an average of just over four per day in the 2021/22 financial year,” Ms Davies said.
“In the last five months alone, 986 incidents have been reported, compared to 1,587 for the full 2021/22 financial year,” she said.
“Some of these attacks can lead to severe and debilitating injuries with many requiring medical treatment.”
Ms Davies said the data showed an alarming upwards trend in the number of dog-related incidents as well as an increase in the severity of injuries sustained.
She said the front gate/letterbox, footpath and front door were the most common locations where dog incidents occurred.
“As we head into the busiest delivery time of the year, we want to ensure that our Posties are protected,” the General Manager said.
“Dogs are territorial by nature, so even the sweetest dog can be a danger to our Posties,” she said.
“We’ve had Posties sustain a range of injuries including puncture wounds, lacerations, scratches and bites.”
Ms Davies said that sadly, team members had also suffered from long-term psychological impacts following an attack.
“Our Posties are just trying to do their job and if they feel that a situation is unsafe when they approach a home, they will not make the delivery,” she said.
“Our team’s safety has to come first so we really want to stress the need for people to secure their dogs, especially if they are expecting a delivery,” she said.
