The dog that attacked an Athens teen who attempted to take its food away is believed to be a pit bull, Dr. Robert Pitman, the veterinarian who treated the dog, said Friday.

“In my opinion, it was a pit bull, and he was pretty rowdy,” Pitman said.

The veterinarian said the dog was 2 or 2 1/2 years old and weighed about 90 pounds. He said the dog was pretty worked up when it arrived at Limestone Veterinary Clinic in Athens.

“If that dog got on you, he could hurt you,” Pitman said. “He’s about the size of the one that killed that lady in Boaz not too long ago.”

Athens Police Capt. Trevor Harris said the victim’s mother voluntarily turned the dog over to animal control officers following the attack. The dog was later euthanized.

Since there was no history of vaccinations available for the animal, a sample of the dog was sent to Birmingham for rabies testing, Harris said. Test results could be available as early as Friday evening, Pitman said.

Harris said the animal was known to the family, and he believed the dog had been in the family for at least six months.

“It wasn’t like it was a stray or a neighbor’s dog,” he said.

Pitman said the dog was owned by other people but was being cared for by the victim’s family.

“These two people were providing care for this dog for the owners,” Pitman said. “The owners were out of town, and they couldn’t get in touch with them to get the dog turned back over to them.”

Harris said medical care for the teen, who was bitten on the face and arm, was top priority following the incident.

An update on the teen’s condition was unavailable at press time.