As cliché as it may sound, posties being chased by man’s best friend is a common problem, and one that should be known to the public, furry or otherwise. In fact, more than 280 posties were involved in dog-related incidents across Australia in the last financial year. On average, that’s almost one incident every working day, putting a whole new twist to the excuse, “my dog ate my mail (man)”. Talk about a ‘ruff’ time.
Posties, and the community in general, have a right to feel safe while out and about. I, for one, understand the importance of being able to roam the neighbourhood (on a lead, of course) without fearing the worst. There’s always something to spark my curiosity and smell; be it cats, birds, or children playing ball, and I want to be able to explore safely.
However, at the end of the day, a dog of any size or breed can become aggressive when defending its territory. Even a friendly dog, like Sandy the oh-so gorgeous labra-doodle down the road, may guard the area on or around their property. And I can understand why. We’re just protecting our home from intruders and making sure they don’t find the bone we buried in the backyard (even though we don’t even remember where it is, to be honest).
With this in mind, I thought I’d put together some handy tips to keep help your postie, precious pooch and community safe.
Who let the dogs out? Three tips to help keep your postie safe:
- If you have a dog, make sure you keep it enclosed on your property. Ensure yards and fences are secured, with no space to escape. This not only keeps the community safe, but also you pet/s. Dogs that wander on the streets unattended are more likely to be involved in vehicle accidents and other incidents.
- It’s worth considering a “Beware of the Dog” sign, so the postie knows to be on the lookout. After all, there’s nothing like a picture of a Rottweiler to boost a Pomeranian’s ego.
- Paw pals, this one is for you – even though you may want a cuddle, your postie may not want one in return. Be considerate and save your lovin’ for fellow furry friends (wink, wink).
