Australia Post warns owners to secure dogs after postie attacks rise nationwide

Australia Post has renewed its warning to pet owners after reporting more than 1,200 dog-related incidents involving posties in the past six months, a rise of about 5% on the same period last year.

The company said the average was roughly nine dog-related incidents a day, or about 47 a week, and urged households to secure dogs before deliveries arrive.

Rising incidents

Australia Post general manager of safety Russell Munro said posties encounter multiple dogs every day and that routine deliveries can escalate quickly when animals are roaming freely or have escaped from properties.

The company said the incidents include bites, puncture wounds, scratches and lacerations. In more serious cases, workers have been knocked off vehicles or needed hospital treatment.

Australia Post said the risk is not limited to public footpaths. More than a third of incidents happened on the customer's property, often when posties were approaching or leaving the front door.

Where the risk is highest

New South Wales was reported as the worst-affected state, with Queensland second.

Reported Queensland hotspots included Darra, Toowoomba, Stafford, Bundaberg and Gympie, according to the Australia Post data cited in recent reporting.

The company said the pattern shows the problem is spread nationwide rather than limited to a single region.

What Australia Post is advising

Australia Post is urging customers to keep dogs contained before a delivery arrives and to consider Parcel Lockers where appropriate.

It also said it equips posties with citronella spray as part of its safety response.

The company said it reports dog-related incidents to local councils and wants stronger animal management laws.

Why it matters

The issue sits at the intersection of worker safety and everyday parcel delivery. For postal workers, a loose dog can turn a routine stop into an injury risk in seconds.

For households, the warning is a reminder that even brief lapses in containment can affect delivery staff and disrupt service.

Australia Post's latest figures suggest the problem is ongoing, with the company framing the issue as a preventable safety concern rather than isolated incidents.

What comes next

The latest reporting has increased attention on whether councils or state governments respond with tighter enforcement or education efforts.

It also leaves open questions about the exact six-month reporting window and whether Australia Post will publish more detailed incident tables or a state-by-state breakdown.

For now, the company is asking dog owners to secure animals before posties arrive and to use alternative delivery options where needed.