Dog owners are being urged to keep a closer eye on their pets after Australia Post released data which showed an increasing number of posties have been attacked, harassed or chased this financial year.
According to Australia Post, there was a staggering 1,885 incidents between dogs and posties between July 2022 and March 2023.
In a statement it said, the increase in attacks is because over 1 million additional dogs were welcomed into Australian households between 2019-2021, including during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Australia Post data showed New South Wales had 650 attacks in nine months, Queensland had 555 and Western Australia had 329.
Victoria and Tasmania had 218 dog-related incidents combined, and South Australia and the Northern Territory had 133 dog related attacks collectively.
These were the areas in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia with the highest number of dog attacks:
NSW
- The Nepean
- New England
- Hunter
- Alexandria
- Wollongong
- St Leonards
Queensland
- Darra
- Bundamba
- Toowoomba
Western Australia
- Palmyra
- Geraldton
- Rockingham
How to prevent dog attacks as a dog owner
Australia Post spokesperson Susan Davies urged dog owners to put the dog inside or out in the back yard to protect the post officers while they are delivering mail.
"We're seeing increased instances of our Posties sustaining injuries by either falling off their vehicles while trying to avoid unrestrained dogs, or getting physically attacked by dogs jumping up and biting them," Ms Davies said.
Australia Post's tips for keeping your dog secure include:
- Keeping your front gate securely closed
- Where possible, secure your dog in the back garden (rather than the front garden) and keep any side gates securely closed
- If you are expecting a delivery, be careful when opening your front door to ensure your dog doesn't run out from behind you. Keeping them safely in another room when you answer the door is a great way to prevent this
RSPCA's Emma Lagoon told ABC there are a number of reasons why dog might attack someone and there are several ways to prevent it.
"Some owners don't know what their dog is capable of [so], we need to have more education with people who own dogs," Ms Lagoon said.
"Make sure to properly train your dog so they are not a danger to family or the public."
She said training your dog will help to learn the basics of a dog's body language and what signs to look out for if the dog might feel the need to attack.
Ms Lagoon said one of the main things people need to remember when out and about is "don't approach dogs you don't know".
"Let them come to you and give them some soft pats on the neck if they show they are interested in you."
RSPCA's School for Pets behaviour trainer Bec Collyer said letting your dogs socialise from a really young age, will also help them become more comfortable around strangers.
"Make sure you're proactive. Watch what is going on in their environment and how they respond to things," Ms Collyer told ABC.
"Growling is a way a dog is communicating they are worried."
She added a dog's reaction to something could be based on a number of factors including: upbringing, the environment they are in, who is around and how the people in the area are behaving.
What to do if you don't want to be approached by a dog
Ms Collyer said if a dog comes up to someone and they don't want to engage with it, there are ways they can avoid this.
"Don't freak out. Remain as calm as possible and just really slowly move away," she said.
"Don't make direct eye contact with the dog and don't turn your back. Step to the side and try to get indoors if you can."
Ms Collyer added if you have food on you that the dog can safely eat, "you could also try chucking it subtly to the side to distract the dog".
Both Ms Collyer and Ms Lagoon told ABC, education is key when it comes to dog ownership and how to prevent attacks.
"At the end of the day you're responsible for your pet," Ms Collyer said.
Ms Davies said Australia Post has established a Cross Industry Dog Safety Taskforce, where it will work with other organisations who deliver to households or need to service them, to share insights on how to prevent and avoid dog attacks.
