The South Australian government and Australia Post have launched a joint campaign to prevent posties being bitten by dogs.

In the first half of this year, 114 posties were attacked by dogs in SA while figures show – nationwide – more than 1,000 posties are attacked annually.

Australia Post general manager, safety and wellbeing Rod Maule said employee safety was paramount. “With our posties out and about delivering in the community every day they are unfortunately at risk of dog attacks. In fact, one-in-three dog-related incidents involving posties occurs at a customer’s front door during a parcel delivery.”

The safety campaign includes a mailout to more than 314,000 registered dog owners across the state. Costing around $390,000, the personally addressed letters contain tips on how owners can prevent posties from attack.

A series of animated educational videos have been uploaded onto a portal within the Department of Environment’s website demonstrating the warning signs that dogs give before they attack and explaining why dogs can sometimes bite. Bumper stickers and leaflets will also be available at SA post offices.

The campaign has been informed by the Dog and Cat Management Board – a statutory body which oversees the administration and enforcement of the state’s dog and cat laws.

“Any dog can bite, and the board is committed to raising awareness and ongoing education,” said chair David Parkin. “Our research has shown public awareness campaigns and ongoing education can help change people’s behaviour, but it will take time and commitment to achieve results.”

The SA government also intends to introduce new laws and increased penalties for owners of dogs that attack people and other animals. “The South Australian government is making sure that penalties for violent dog attacks are a strong deterrent to ensure owners do everything they can to control their dogs,” deputy premier Susan Close said.