Arizona: Elderly man in critical condition after nearly being killed by his son's Pit Bull

TUCSON, ARIZONA -- While his father tries to recover from a near-fatal dog attack, the owner of the dog who attacked him has decided the animal's fate.

"I'm going to euthanize the dog. I have to do what I have to do. I'm going to euthanize the dog because he hurt my dad and there's no way I'm going to love this dog again," said Nicolas Cook.

His father, F. Michael Cook, 61, is in critical condition at University Medical Center on Friday night.

Family members said Cook was heavily sedated and incoherent, but appeared to be doing better.

The family called it a freak accident, saying Butch, a pit bull mix, was usually a very gentle dog.  He had a history of getting into dog fights, but had never attacked a human before.

You mean he had a history of attacking other dogs...

It was a very bloody sight at the home off Valencia.  Family members said Butch was not in a good mood that day.  He had just been neutered and was in a lot of pain and medicated.

Neutering of male dogs is much less complicated than spaying female dogs. They typically send the male dog home that same day because it's such a simple procedure. This dog was not "in a lot of pain".

According to the family. it started when the family's miniature pinscher bit Butch. When the victim tried to pull the two dogs apart, Butch attacked him.

It was a vicious mauling that started inside, and continued outside. It lasted for several minutes.

A neighbor said it appeared the dog was "eating" the victim.

Sheriff's officials had to use a Taser on the dog when they got to the scene.

"He flipped out on my dad. He thought my dad was hurting him," Nicolas Cook claims.

Now Michael Cook is recovering from severe injuries, barely coherent and hanging on for dear life.

"They stopped counting at 60 pints of blood. He's still needing blood. We don't know how many pints he'll need," said his sister Toni Sweet.

The family appealed to everyone to pray for their father.

Butch will be quarantined for 10 days to see whether he shows signs of rabies.

Jayne Cundy, public service supervisor for Pima Animal Care Center, said they would respect the family's wishes because Butch was their dog.

"I feel really bad about my dog dying, but I care more about my dad than this dog," said Cook.

Cook said he got Butch when he was 3 months old.

(KOLD - August 6, 2011)

Earlier Story:

• Owner attacked by his own nanny dog