Mandy's antics might get her on the terrier watch list.

A US Airways flight was diverted yesterday to Pittsburgh International Airport because the 12-pound Manchester terrier traveling with its 89-year-old owner bit a passenger and flight attendant, the airline said.

"The captain felt in the interest of safety, it was better to land and have them looked at than continue on," said spokesman Todd Lehmacher. He said the airline allows passengers to take small pets on board as long as they remain in a carrying case that can fit under the seat in front of them.

Flight 522 was carrying 122 passengers and five crew members from Newark to Phoenix when a pilot notified authorities of the incident at 7:22 a.m.

The bite victims reboarded the flight and continued to Phoenix after paramedics treated them, said Allegheny County police Inspector David Walsh. One of the bites punctured skin, but was not considered serious.

Officials found an alternate flight for the dog and its owner, an unidentified woman from New Jersey who was headed to Palm Springs, Calif. The woman will not be charged.

Walsh said it appears the dog became agitated as its sedatives began wearing off. As a man seated next to the woman tried to soothe the animal, the dog bit him, broke out of the canvas carrier and ran up and down the aisle of the plane barking, Walsh said. A flight attendant who grabbed the dog also was bitten.

Statistics on such incidents are not available. PetTravel.com President Susan H. Smith said they are extremely rare.

"Most people who travel with pets, you'd never even know it. It's not like traveling with a crying baby. If properly handled, pets will remain calm," Smith said.

Airline rules, and charges, differ on pet travel. Generally, on-board pets must remain in carriers under the seat in front of their owner for the entire flight. Charges can be up to $125 each way.

To prepare pets for travel, Smith suggested getting jet-setting pets accustomed to the crate in which they will be flying in advance of the trip. She also recommended taking a favorite toy, one of your worn t-shirts or, in some cases, chewable pet-calming products. She discouraged sedatives, because they can present health risks for flying pets.

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