Board deems pit bull vicious, dog to be euthanized

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) A pit bull terrier that attacked a Burlington woman has been deemed vicious and will be euthanized. The city’s animal hearing board met Wednesday to discuss the case and hear from the woman who was attacked. Amy Pressley, 35, described how she was mauled by her neighbor’s pit bull on Dec. 29 after she let her own dog, a rat terrier, out in her yard. Minutes later she heard her dog yelping. Pressley said she ran outside and pulled her dog out of the way before the pit bull grabbed her left arm, wrist and chest. ”I have never been attacked like this before. That dog wagged me like a rag doll,” she said. She said she needed 36 staples to close the wounds she suffered in the attack. Alan Thomas Underwood, whose son owns the pit bull, said he and his wife were taking care of the dog while their son, Tyler Andrew Underwood, is in jail. ”Titan is a house dog,” he said. ”The only (time) he would do something to somebody is when that someone aggravates him ”I have a fenced-in back yard and have no problem with the dog,” he said. Underwood has 10 days to appeal the decision to district court. If he doesn’t, the dog will be euthanized after five business days.