City wants to destroy two pit bull terriers that attacked postman

Mandi Steele/FULTON SUN photo: The residence at 303 W. 14th St. is where a Fulton postal worker was attacked by two pit bulls Tuesday afternoon. The black and red sign hanging from the eave of the house reads: "Warning: Security dog."
Mandi Steele/FULTON SUN photo: The residence at 303 W. 14th St. is where a Fulton postal worker was attacked by two pit bulls Tuesday afternoon. The black and red sign hanging from the eave of the house reads: "Warning: Security dog."

A Fulton official said Wednesday he will ask the owner of two pit bull terriers to allow the city to destroy both dogs that attacked a Fulton postman Tuesday.

Les Hudson, Fulton planning and protective services director, said the dogs are dangerous and should be put down.

If the owner does not voluntarily give his permission for the city to destroy both dogs, Hudson said the issue will be sent to the city prosecutor and a judge to decide.

No criminal charges against the owner have been recommended so far in connection with Tuesday's attack by the pit bulls of Fulton Postman Tom Galloway, 54, of Jefferson City.

Tina Barnes, Fulton animal control director, said the dogs are now quarantined and will be put down if the owner gives his permission or held for at least two weeks at the Fulton animal shelter to determine if they show symptoms of rabies. She said the owner of the dogs has been cooperating,

Maj. Roger Rice of the Fulton Police Department said a Fulton postman was delivering mail at 12:28 p.m. Tuesday to 303 W. 14th St. in Fulton when two pit bulls escaped from the house and attacked the postman.

Rice said the terriers are owned by Brandon Shane Vansory, 25, of 23 Green Meadow Drive, which is in a mobile home subdivision just west of Fulton.

He said the department had not received a previous complaint involving dogs at the residence where the attack occurred in Fulton.

Barnes said Vansory had taken the dogs to the house of a relative who lives at 303 W. 14th St., Fulton, where Rice said the dogs stay during the day.

Fulton Postmaster Roger Bounds said Galloway was bitten by the dogs on his left arm when he threw up the arm to protect himself from the dogs jumping at him. Bounds said the dogs knocked the letter carrier to the ground and then bit him in the face, causing another serious wound.

Bounds said Galloway was taken to University Hospital in Columbia and was treated and released.

"He will remain off from work to recover from his injuries," Bounds said.

He added that Galloway saw one pit bull that was chained in the yard. The chained pit bull was barking but was chained far enough away that Galloway could make it to the door to deliver the mail.

Bounds said the letter carrier knew about the pit bull chained in the yard but didn't know that there were more pit bulls inside the house.

"Galloway had just delivered the mail and was turning to leave when a woman in the house opened the door to get her mail. Then the two pit bulls in the house who heard the other dog barking pushed her aside and attacked Galloway," Bounds said.

Rice said the terrier chained in the yard and a pit bull puppy inside the house belonged to the owner of the house where the incident occurred. The other two pit bulls were owned by Vansory.

"It was a terrible accident, but I believe it was avoidable," Bounds said.

In a letter to The Fulton Sun, Bounds said dogs have caused a safety problem for letter carriers for years.

"The United States Postal Service has an obligation to provide a safe work environment for all employees. Unrestrained dogs are not acceptable and cannot be tolerated," Bounds said.

Bounds said to protect postal employees, mail delivery can be temporarily withdrawn when animals interfere with letter carriers.

"Owners must confine their dogs during delivery hours and are notified promptly if service is suspended. Mail delivery will resume as soon as the Postal Service is confident the animal is no longer a threat," Bounds said.