Postal workers marched through the streets of Hamilton yesterday to protest aggressive dogs that threaten them on their daily rounds.

And the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) boss warned people to secure their dogs if they want to get their mail.

BIU president Derrick Burgess said yesterday the marching postal workers had the backing of the Union as well as postal management over the dog dispute.

?If you want your mail make it safe and friendly for the postman,? Mr. Burgess said yesterday. ?Postmen will no longer service houses that have dogs that pose a threat to their health and safety.

?We have warned the public before and we are now advising postmen not to deliver to people who have dogs running loose.?

However, the mail was delivered yesterday and was promised to be forthcoming to homes again today.

Postmaster General George Outerbridge said he was compiling a list of the owners of the most terrifying dogs and said they will send progressive warning letters warning them their mail may get cut off should they not tie their animals up, or place mail boxes in safer locations.

BIU postal union president Larry Holder said the march was historic. ?This is a historic march because you here have a march with management and workers, regardless of which union. We have two unions here the BIU and BPSU and management,? Mr. Holder said as the workers congregated on Union Street following their meeting at BIU Headquarters.

Vice president of the postal union Dexter Jones explained the reason for the march was a dog attack on postman Larry Hunt, in Cook?s Hill, Somerset, on September 13. ?In the last two years, two of our workers have been seriously attacked, including one last week,? Mr. Jones said. ?He had an operation and is back home. He can?t be with us today, because he can?t move too much.

?It was a serious attack and three other people got attacked at the same time, plus EMS, who tried to help him. They had to more or less distract the dogs so he could crawl to the ambulance to get in because the dog was attacking everybody in sight.?

Police blocked off streets to make way for the march, as they called for ? ?No more dog attacks? ? along Victoria Street, Court Street, Reid Street, Burnaby Hill and finally Church Street.

At 12 p.m. and with around 100 workers behind him on the steps of the General Post Office, Postmaster General Outerbridge began a statement prepared for him by the Department of Communication and Information.

Mr. Outerbridge said the attacked postman spent two days in hospital recovering from reconstructive surgery. ?The dog involved in this attack and its owner has been identified and the Dog Warden is carrying out an inquiry,? Mr. Outerbridge said. He continued to say he was greatly concerned for his staff as dog attacks on postal workers were not isolated incidents.

?On a daily basis, the hardworking and diligent postmen and postwomen of the Bermuda Post Office place themselves at considerable risk from dog attacks as they attempt to deliver mail to homes throughout the Island,? Mr. Outerbridge said.

Postwoman Margaret Pitt suffered a particularly gruesome attack as she tried to deliver the mail to a Mission Lane, Pembroke home, last year, he said.

?In fact, we have also had postmen suffer injury from bike accidents as a result of trying to escape from a dog chasing them whilst riding,? he said. ?And believe it or not, our mail carriers have even had geese attack them.?

He said unprovoked dog attacks was the number one public health issue facing his workers and said no one should be subjected to this daily anxiety and terror. Public service announcements will be forthcoming to increase public awareness on being a responsible dog owner, he said.

Postal division president Holder said Bermuda?s postmen had had enough. ?The postal workers of this country have been very tolerant of all negligent owners for far too long,? Mr. Holder said. ?Today, we collectively say no more. When one of us is attacked, we have all been attacked.?

He said not a day goes by when the safety of a postman is threatened by dogs, no matter the size of the dog.

Postmen are ignored for their bravery while other workers are given citations for putting their lives in danger during the performance of their duties, he said, but when dogs kill or maim other animals, the owners are often given financial compensation while postmen are ignored.

?However, the injuries we obtain from these attacks will be carried into our pension years,? Mr. Holder said. ?We ask all households to be proactive by moving mailboxes to the entrance of their property.

?Invisible fencing is not enough. Check the strength of dog chains and leashes regularly to ensure that your dog is not capable of breaking loose and causing serious harm.?