After a tense vicious dog hearing Tuesday, the Oak Bluffs selectmen ordered the owner of an American Staffordshire terrier to keep the dog muzzled and leashed after she severely injured another dog.

During the hearing, which took more than an hour, some of the selectmen and the town animal inspector advocated for euthanizing the dog.

Pinewood avenue resident Joseph Jims Jr. said he was taking his Jack Russell terriers Brillo and Brawny on an evening walk on May 20 when Damon Burke’s American Staffordshire terrier Ramune escaped from a backyard enclosure and attacked Mr. Jims’s dogs.

“All I could do was yell No at the top of my lungs and kick him,” Mr. Jims told the selectmen. Brillo was severely injured and had to have her left rear leg amputated.

Mr. Jims said that he now has panic attacks when he sees the other dog, and is concerned for the safety of himself, his family and the neighborhood. “I’m in constant fear that the dog will be loose again, and the dog lives right beside me,” he said.

Mr. Burke said Ramune was a rescue dog who has been attacked by other dogs in the past. “My dog’s being made out to be this monster — and she simply isn’t,” he said, describing her as sweet and not usually aggressive toward people or other dogs. He said a hole in his backyard fence through which Ramune escaped has been repaired.

“I’m very, very sorry about what happened, I feel it’s terrible,” Mr. Burke said.

Oak Bluffs animal inspector Jennifer Morgan warned that the only guarantee against another incident would be to euthanize the dog.

“Nobody wants to hear the word euthanasia,” she said. “[But] the only 100 per cent sureproof way to make sure it doesn’t happen is to end the dog’s life.”

Selectman Mike Santoro agreed. “I don’t think this dog should be in the town of Oak Bluffs, and I don’t think we should put it into another town,” he said.

Selectman Greg Coogan said sometimes euthanasia is the right course of action. “I can tell your heart is about saving dogs and you’ve saved this dog,” he told Mr. Burke, adding that he didn’t want Mr. Burke to become a prisoner of the dog. “I think you should think long and hard regardless of what we suggest.”

Selectman Gail Barmakian said she wanted to find a solution other than euthanasia. “I think that steps can be taken to protect the public sufficiently,” she said.

In the end, the selectmen voted 4-1 to follow police chief Erik Blake’s recommendation to declare the dog a nuisance because of its vicious disposition, and to require the dog be leashed and muzzled whenever outside of the house. A $200 bond was also kept on the dog.

If protocol is not followed or in the event of another incident, “that dog is gone and it will be euthanized as far as I’m concerned,” selectman Walter Vail said.

Mr. Santoro voted against the decision.

The selectmen did not take up the matter of more than $1,600 in veterinary bills, which they said could only be decided by a court.

The dog hearing was followed by another emotional hearing, this one for Curvy Ann Torain, whose taxi permit renewal was denied after she was charged with assault and battery earlier this year.

“I’m asking for a fair chance,” an emotional Ms. Torain told the selectmen.” I’m suffering right now . . . I want to go back to work.”

The selectmen voted to renew Ms. Torain’s taxi permit for two weeks to give her a chance to get her court case settled.

In other business, the selectmen voted to change parking times from four to two hours on Sea View avenue extension, and approved two new businesses: Gwen’s Wampum Jewelry at 55 Circuit avenue, and Johnny Cupcakes at 45 Circuit avenue.

The board deferred a decision about permitting fireworks for a wedding on East Chop Beach, which would require a short beach closure. The selectmen said they were concerned about the precedent of allowing private fireworks on a public beach.