When posties and pooches combine

By Sheree Hoddinett 

Hearing a dog bark or even seeing one running towards you might seem trivial, but for Wayde Notley it can send a shiver of fear through his body. Wayde, who is a motorbike postie with Australia Post, was left shaken and injured following an attack from a dog on September 4 last year. It’s a day Wayde is unlikely to forget in a hurry and it seems he’s not the only one. More than 50 postal workers fall victim to dog-related incidents each week, with an average of 7.5 recorded each day since July last year. The large scale of dog-related incidents has prompted calls for dog owners to secure their pets and help keep our posties safe.  

Wayde’s face may be familiar to some of you out in the local community. He has been a motorbike postie for six years and is a business partner with Australia Post on three runs in the Morayfield, Burpengary and Narangba areas. Going through a scary and traumatic experience like a dog attack is not something you expect to encounter as you go about your daily work, but unfortunately it’s something posties always have to be on alert for. 

“I was out delivering on my usual route at that time, when a dog grabbed my leg through the fence,” Wayde recalls. “All I could think was no, no, no and I knew it had punctured my skin. I did my best to remain as calm as I could, given the situation I was facing. 

“I immediately switched off my bike, put myself in a safe position and grabbed my first aid kit in an attempt to stop the bleeding.” 

While several months have passed since Wayde felt the pressure of dog teeth sinking into his left leg, the physical and mental scars are still very much at the forefront of his mind. 

“It’s an experience that left me shaken and unsure,” Wayde explains. “Even now I still get highly anxious when put in a situation where a dog comes across as aggressive in close proximity to me.  

“Whenever I have to deliver on that run, I still have flashbacks to that moment, even though the owner and their dog have since moved away.  

“Speaking of the dog’s owner, although I’m disappointed this all happened, she was extremely concerned for my wellbeing after the incident and assisted me with first aid, bringing me towels to help stem the bleeding. Her husband also put immediate measures in place so the dog was unable to put its head through the fence again.” 

The sharp rise in dog-related incidents last year was most pronounced in Queensland, followed closely behind by New South Wales.  

• 321 in Queensland 

• 306 in New South Wales 

• 177 in Western Australia 

• 103 in Victoria 

• 68 in South Australia 

• 9 in the Northern Territory 

• 5 in Tasmania 

Despite ongoing public awareness campaigns from Australia Post, the frequency of dog related incidents has not decreased. Australia Post General Manager Safety and Wellbeing Rod Maule has emphasised the simple steps dog owners can take to keep posties safe. 

“Our team of posties are working hard delivering to our customers in all parts of the nation, however we need the support of dog owners to keep their dog secure and our posties safe,” he says. “We see a lot of incidents occur at the front door as our posties try to deliver packages, with dogs racing out from behind their owners. It takes just a second to secure your dog in another room and it makes the world of difference to our team members. “We know our customers are eager to get their deliveries however our team’s safety comes first, if it’s not safe for our posties to approach a home, then they won’t be able to deliver.” 

As a postie on the ground and a fellow dog owner, Wayde also encourages residents to be proactive to protect their pets and their friendly postie.  

“I urge all dog owners with any size dog to have a good look at their boundary fences and ask themselves ‘is there a situation where my dog can attack and can I prevent that from happening?’” Wayde says. “I have four employees who work alongside me and their safety is my number one concern. I want to ensure they get home safely to their own families.” 

To help protect its team members, Australia Post introduced several preventative measures aimed at reducing the number of dog-related incidents. In addition to on-the-job training, posties are also provided with a digital hazard tracker that allows them to log the location of a hazardous dog. The next time they, or any other postie, approach a pre-logged location they will receive a warning notification on their device, allowing them to avoid it or take extra care. 

Tips to help keep your dog secure 

• Always keep front gates securely closed. 

• Where possible, secure dogs in the back garden (rather than the front) and keep any side gates securely closed. 

• If you are expecting a delivery, be careful when opening your front door to ensure your dog doesn’t run out from behind you. Keeping them safely in another room when you answer the door is a great way to prevent this.