n alarming increase in violent dog attacks across the country has prompted a big move from Australia Post. All posties will now be equipped with a new deterrent — citronella spray — following a shocking rise in incidents over the past six months.
Since November, over 1,150 encounters with a threatening dog have been recorded, with an average of nine posties forced to flee for their safety every day.
“Despite public awareness efforts and rigorous safety protocols, we continue to see alarming rates of dog-related incidents,” Russell Munro, Australia Post General Manager Safety, said.
“Apart from the normal bites and scratches, we’ve seen posties knocked off bikes. We’ve also seen psychological trauma for our posties following serious dog attacks. Last year, one of our posties had her foot seriously injured when a dog bit through her boot.”
Dog deterrent rolled out to all posties by end of July
The citronella spray, which is water-based and not harmful, was trialled last year in some of the worst-affected areas in NSW and Queensland, successfully deterring 80 per cent of attacks. It temporarily distracts the dog, giving the postie extra time to protect themselves and call the pet’s owner for help, according to Australia Post.
Australia Post records alarming increase in brutal dog attacksScroll back up to restore default view.
The spray will be handed out to all posties by the end of July, however those working in high-risk areas are top priority.
“Moree in NSW is one of many hotspots where the number of roaming and unrestrained dogs has created dangerous conditions for our posties,” Munro said. “When our people continue to end up in hospital, we have a responsibility to act and this is a last resort measure.”
Employees will be trained before being issued the citronella, and it will only be used as a last-line-of defence, he added.
Bronwyn Adamson, a former veterinarian nurse who works for Australia Post in Western Australia, said the additional protection will give her “peace of mind” following a recent painful attack.
“The incident occurred when I was delivering a parcel requiring a signature,” she said. “A dog escaped from behind a gate and bit me on my breast, leaving a puncture wound and severe bruising which developed into a golf ball-sized haematoma.
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Due to the increase in parcel deliveries, almost 40 per cent of the attacks recorded in the past six months took place on a customer’s property. In half of those instances, the person had propped the front door open. Roaming dogs are also a concern, accounting for 39 per cent of all incidents that occur on the street.
Hotspots for posties across Australia
The number of dog incidents in each state and territory since November, and the worst areas for each:
Queensland (388) – Darra, Bundamba, Toowoomba
New South Wales (329) – Moree, Penrith, Waterloo
Western Australia (184) – Joondalup, Geraldton, Malaga
Victoria (138) – Oakleigh South, Mooroolbark, Deepdene and Mornington
South Australia (60) – Glynde, Lonsdale, Edinburgh North and Salisbury South
Tasmania (27) – Launceston, Burnie, Devonport and Hobart
Australian Capital Territory (17) – Canberra South, Mitchell, Tuggeranong
Northern Territory (10) – Katherine, Palmerston, Darwin
To help prevent future attacks, Australia Post recommends pet owners secure their dogs in a contained place, separate room or behind a locked gate when expecting a delivery.