Two pit bull dogs that attacked and severely injured a Fulton postman last Tuesday were euthanized at 1:15 p.m. Monday by a veterinarian.
Maj. Roger Rice of Fulton Police said the two pit bull terriers, one male and one female, were the same dogs that attacked Fulton Postman Tom Galloway at 303 W. 14th St. on March 1.
"The owner of the dogs cooperated fully with the investigation and the subsequent euthanization," Rice said.
Les Hudson, Fulton planning and protective services director, said the dogs were dangerous and should be put down. Hudson said earlier that if the owner did not voluntarily give his permission to destroy the dogs, the issue would have been sent to the city prosecutor and a judge to decide the issue.
No criminal charges are planned against the owner of the dog, Brandon Shane Vansory, 25, of 23 Green Meadow Drive, a mobile home subdivision just west of Fulton.
The dogs were taken to the home of a relative who lives at 303 W. 14th St. where the dogs were staying during the day, Rice said.
Fulton Postmaster Roger Bounds said Monday Galloway underwent plastic surgery Monday to graft skin back on his face.
Galloway said University Hospital emergency room doctors in Columbia last Tuesday repaired and bandaged the wounds as much as the could and were concerned about swelling and possible infection. They scheduled the first plastic surgery for Monday to graft skin back on his face where it was missing.
"I believe he will undergo at least one more and possibly two more plastic surgery procedures. It's a process. They can't do it all at once. They do one procedure and then later they do one or two more surgeries," Bounds said.
Bounds said Galloway also was bitten on his left arm that he threw up to protect himself. "He had on a heavy coat and that protected his arm to a degree but his arm turned black and is extremely sore," Bounds said.
Bounds said pit bull terriers have tremendous strength in their jaws and Galloway could have been killed if the dogs had been able to get to his throat.
"He will have a long recovery ahead of him," Bounds said.
"Any dog that is vicious and attacks a human being should be put down," Bounds said.
"Anyone who has a pet, we ask that it be contained during postal delivery hours. Keep it in the back yard or keep it inside so it is safe for us to get to the mailbox and deliver mail," Bounds said.
"The thing about all dogs is that all of them are territorial. We hear it all the time from owners of dogs that their dog will not bite anyone. But I believe every dog will bite. It just depends on the setting, the mood, and the circumstances. When a postman comes into the yard, dogs regard this area as their territory," Bounds said.
"We try to educate our carriers. Just because the carrier may see a dog every day and the dog knows you, it doesn't mean that tomorrow or some other day the dog might bite you," Bounds said.