Overview
- Data from the past six months show more than 1,200 dog-related incidents nationwide, a 5 percent increase from the same period last year.
- Australia Post says 47 delivery workers encounter an aggressive or unrestrained dog each week, which averages about nine dog encounters every day.
- New South Wales is the worst-affected state with roughly 410 incidents and several suburbs repeatedly named as hotspots.
- Posties have suffered bites, puncture wounds and lacerations and some have been knocked off their vehicles or required hospital treatment.
- Australia Post is keeping frontline staff supplied with citronella spray, promoting Parcel Lockers, reporting incidents to councils and urging owners to securely contain dogs to reduce future attacks.