Dog house owners are being urged to maintain a more in-depth eye on their pets after Australia Post launched information which confirmed an rising variety of posties have been attacked, harassed or chased this monetary 12 months.
Key factors:
- Over 1 million further dogs have been welcomed into Australian households between 2019 to 2021
- Australia Post has established a Cross Industry Dog Safety Taskforce on methods to stop and keep away from canine assaults
- New South Wales has had 650 postie and dog-related assaults in 9 months
According to Australia Post, there was a staggering 1,885 incidents between dogs and posties between July 2022 and March 2023.
In a press release it mentioned, the rise in assaults is as a result of over 1 million further dogs have been welcomed into Australian households between 2019-2021, together with through the top of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Australia Post information confirmed New South Wales had 650 assaults in 9 months, Queensland had 555 and Western Australia had 329.
Victoria and Tasmania had 218 dog-related incidents mixed, and South Australia and the Northern Territory had 133 canine associated assaults collectively.
These have been the areas in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia with the best variety of canine assaults:
NSW
- The Nepean
- New England
- Hunter
- Alexandria
- Wollongong
- St Leonards
Queensland
Western Australia
- Palmyra
- Geraldton
- Rockingham
How to stop canine assaults as a canine proprietor
Australia Post spokesperson Susan Davies urged canine house owners to place the canine inside or out within the again yard to guard the submit officers whereas they’re delivering mail.
“We’re seeing elevated cases of our Posties sustaining accidents by both falling off their autos whereas making an attempt to keep away from unrestrained dogs, or getting bodily attacked by dogs leaping up and biting them,” Ms Davies mentioned.
Australia Post’s ideas for maintaining your canine safe embody:
- Keeping your entrance gate securely closed
- Where attainable, safe your canine within the again backyard (reasonably than the entrance backyard) and maintain any aspect gates securely closed
- If you expect a supply, watch out when opening your entrance door to make sure your canine would not run out from behind you. Keeping them safely in one other room if you reply the door is a good way to stop this
RSPCA’s Emma Lagoon informed ABC there are a selection of explanation why canine may assault somebody and there are a number of methods to stop it.
“Some house owners do not know what their canine is able to [so], we have to have extra schooling with individuals who personal dogs,” Ms Lagoon mentioned.
“Make positive to correctly prepare your canine so they aren’t a hazard to household or the general public.”
She mentioned coaching your canine will assist to be taught the fundamentals of a canine’s physique language and what indicators to look out for if the canine may really feel the necessity to assault.
Ms Lagoon mentioned one of many important issues individuals want to recollect when out and about is “do not method dogs you do not know”.
“Let them come to you and provides them some delicate pats on the neck in the event that they present they’re focused on you.”
RSPCA’s School for Pets behaviour coach Bec Collyer mentioned letting your dogs socialise from a very younger age, will additionally assist them change into extra snug round strangers.
“Make positive you are proactive. Watch what’s going on of their surroundings and the way they reply to issues,” Ms Collyer informed ABC.
“Growling is a means a canine is speaking they’re nervous.”
She added a canine’s response to one thing might be based mostly on a variety of components together with: upbringing, the surroundings they’re in, who’s round and the way the individuals within the space are behaving.
What to do for those who do not need to be approached by a canine
Ms Collyer mentioned if a canine comes as much as somebody they usually do not need to interact with it, there are methods they’ll keep away from this.
“Don’t freak out. Remain as calm as attainable and simply actually slowly transfer away,” she mentioned.
“Don’t make direct eye contact with the canine and do not flip your again. Step to the aspect and attempt to get indoors for those who can.”
Ms Collyer added when you have meals on you that the canine can safely eat, “you can additionally attempt chucking it subtly to the aspect to distract the canine”.
Both Ms Collyer and Ms Lagoon informed ABC, schooling is vital in terms of canine possession and methods to stop assaults.
“At the top of the day you are answerable for your pet,” Ms Collyer mentioned.
Ms Davies mentioned Australia Post has established a Cross Industry Dog Safety Taskforce, the place it is going to work with different organisations who ship to households or must service them, to share insights on methods to stop and keep away from canine assaults.
