One thing these Aussie workers dread
Written by admin on November 4, 2024
WARNING: Graphic image
They travel into every nook and cranny of Australia delivering parcels and packages to homes and apartments, but the shadow of serious dog attacks continues to haunt “posties” as they go about their workday.
In just the past six months, Australia Post has recorded a whopping 1277 “dog-related incidents”, with more than 49 posties falling victim to an incident each week.
Some of the attacks are gruesome and shocking.
One graphic photo of a dog attack from Kalgoorlie in WA shows a postie’s mangled, bloody leg.
Australia Post general manager of safety and wellbeing Rod Maule said posties suffered a range of injuries in dog attacks, including puncture wounds, lacerations and scratches.
“And many of our team members also suffer from long term psychological injuries following an attack,” he said.
Nationwide, Queensland is the worst state for dog incidents, according to Australia Post data.
The public company recorded 505 incidents across the state, with Darra, Stafford and Toowoomba having the highest number of incidents.
NSW follows Queensland with 367 incidents, with Lidcombe, Alexandria and Ingleburn the worst offenders.
Western Australia is in third position, with 152 incidents, followed by Victoria with 114, South Australia with 90, the Northern Territory with 24, Tasmania with 22 and the ACT with three.
Mr Maule is calling on local councils to implement stronger measures to prevent dog attacks, including through increased monitoring and enforcement of animal management laws.
“Dog attacks remain one of the highest safety concerns for our people,” he said.
“As we head into our peak season and delivery volumes increase, there is a serious concern for the physical and mental wellbeing of our posties, particularly around dogs.
“Aggressive or dangerous dogs are reported to council and local rangers; however, too often we see risks are not properly mitigated.
“This often leads to multiple instances of the same dog repeating aggressive behaviour, which can result in a severe attack on our postie.
“As the holiday season approaches, dog owners need to be mindful that all visitors, including posties, should have safe access to the front door without being stopped by a dog.
“Dog ownership comes with responsibilities and we need council support to effectively enforce laws and regulations to ensure the safety of our people.”
