Australia Post reveals staggering amount of posties attacked by dogs every day

Posties are being attacked by dogs at an alarming rate while on the job, with owners urged to properly secure their pets ahead of the busy Christmas period.

There have been more than 1190 dog-related incidents involving posties across the country over the past six months, according to new data from Australia Post.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Dog attacks on posties increase at alarming rate

On average, nine posties are finding themselves in trouble with a pet every day.

One in three incidents occur on a customer’s property, while 62 per cent of dog-related incidents happen on the street.

New South Wales has taken over Queensland as the worst state for dog attacks, with the suburbs of Penrith, Warabrook, Villawood and Moree having the highest number of incidents.

Queensland came in second place, followed by Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and the ACT.

If a postie is attacked or threatened by a dog, Australia Post will stop delivering mail to that address and all incidents are reported to local councils.

Posties are given citronella spray as a defence safety measure, which has been effective in 90 per cent of incidents.

Australia Post General Manager Russell Munro said dog-related incidents have increased over the past six months.

While the rollout of citronella spray has been effective, cases of aggressive dog behaviour are still concerning.

“Our posties want to be able to deliver for our customers without fear of being attacked or chased by a dog,” Munro said.

“Regardless of breed or temperament, we urge all owners to keep their dogs safely contained when expecting deliveries.”

Munro said customers expecting mail can use the Australia Post app to keep track of delivery times.

The national post service suggested dog owners who cannot properly secure their pet should consider using a parcel locker instead.