A suburb in Perth’s south has been named as the worst in the State for dog attacks on posties, as Australia Post unveils alarming statistics revealing the rise of aggressive and unrestrained dogs targeting delivery drivers.
In the past six months, posties across the nation have been subjected to more than 12,000 dog-related incidents — nine incidents each day.
Western Australia has ranked the fourth worst state in Australia for aggressive and unrestrained dogs, with a shocking 193 incidents affecting WA posties since November — roughly 1.1 incidents per day.
Analysis by Australia Post has revealed Rockingham in Perth’s south is the worst suburb for aggressive or unrestrained dogs affecting postal workers.
Other spots in WA notorious for dog incidents include Wangara, Bunbury, and Joondalup.
The statistics show almost two-thirds of incidents occur on the street after dogs have escaped — with over a third of those cases involving the postie being chased down the street.
More than a third of all incidents take place on a customer’s property as a postal worker either approaches or leaves the front door.
The incidents are not minor — with the national postal organisation revealing staff have suffered bites, lacerations, and in some cases even required hospital treatment after an incident.
New South Wales has been labelled as the worst state for dog incidents, with the state being responsible for more than a third of all reports.
Australia Post’s General Safety Manager Russell Munro said dog-related incidents remain a serious and persistent safety risk for their delivery drivers.
“Posties encounter multiple dogs every day while delivering, and some can pose a real safety risk,” he said.
“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.”
Mr Munro urged Australian pet owners to take action with their dogs when expecting a delivery.
“If you’re expecting a delivery, make sure your dog is securely contained and if you’re unable to do so, we encourage customers to consider using a 24/7 free Parcel Locker as a safe alternative,” he said.
“With 9.8 million Aussies shopping online, deliveries and interactions at the front door are more frequent which creates highly stressful situations for dogs and increases the risk for our team.”
Australia Post reports all dog-related incidents to local councils and may suspend deliveries to certain properties or streets if posties determine it is unsafe to deliver there.
Dog owners have been encouraged to follow the PAWS for delivery initiative:
- Sit: Sit your dog safely in a contained place or behind a locked gate when expecting a delivery
- Stay: Make sure the area you have chosen is somewhere your dog can stay while the parcel is being delivered
- Secure: Keep your dog secure behind your door to allow the postie safe access.
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