Dog attacks a constant fear on mail round

Manurewa postie Yolanda Maletino loved her job.

That was until a barking Neapolitan mastiff dog burst through a gate, fangs bared, and latched on to her leg.

"I was really frightened," the 19-year-old says. "It was too quick for me to react. I had no space to protect myself."

Ms Maletino was the first of two New Zealand Post workers seriously injured in dog attacks in recent weeks.

She was attacked on August 23. She is still unable to walk and is fearful of going back to work.

On Tuesday, a Whakatane postie was admitted to hospital after being bitten on the thigh by a large cross-breed dog. She is now out of hospital but remains off work.

The attacks have highlighted a worsening problem for the people who deliver the mail and prompted a plea from NZ Post for dog owners to keep animals secure.

The dog that attacked Ms Maletino forced its way through a closed gate and ignored calls from its owner.

Ms Maletino, who has been a postie for two years, was pulled off her bike. Bites to her lower left leg penetrated muscle and left her bedridden for a week and a half.

She was too scared to look at the wounds until Tuesday, when stitches were removed, and then she was horrified: "I saw the shape of the dog's mouth, the teeth, in my shin."

Her injuries have required five doctor's visits and she will need physiotherapy to get her mobile.

Despite assurances she will be paired with a buddy when she returns to work, she is nervous about another attack.

"I'm going to be frightened now," she said.

Manukau City Council is planning to prosecute the owner of the dog, which could be destroyed depending on court action.

The dog involved in the Whakatane attack has been killed.

Ms Maletino's boss, Manurewa delivery branch manager Catherine Maxwell, said dogs were a daily problem in the area.

Yesterday, she dealt with four "dog issues", including calling in a ranger when a postie was bailed up against a fence.

The other incidents involved dogs rushing or barking at posties.

"We get at least one postie a day reporting a problem," Ms Maxwell said.

Attacks were getting worse because of an increasing number of big dogs.

"The bites are causing serious injury."

Bites from dogs such as pitbulls, bull mastiffs and large cross-breeds usually kept posties off work for at least a week.

Bites used to be "nips" from smaller dogs, and would keep someone home two or three days.

NZ Post's general manager of postal delivery, Matthew Nant, said owners needed to think about the effects of dog attacks and ensure their fences and gates were sturdy and secure.

"People shouldn't have to go to work and have to worry about being savaged by dogs."


Postie attacks

* 10 to 20 attacks a month.
* Average of two serious attacks a month that require posties to take time off work.
* 12 serious attacks this year have required posties to take time off work.
Source: New Zealand Post