A 9-year-old boy from East Chicago, Indiana — just a few hours from Illinois — was recently attacked and bitten by a 5-year-old pitbull as he walked from his home to a nearby community center.

Police in East Chicago state that the dog’s owner issued a statement saying that the dog was secured in the backyard in a 10′ x 15′ kennel, and it was unknown how he was able to escape.

The boy’s grandmother said that the dog has attacked before, but authorities have no records of any attacks.

The boy had serious bite injuries to his left ankle and right knee and is is suffering the lingering effects of nightmares since the attack. A family friend who arrived on the scene after the attack described the boy as lying on the ground, crying, bleeding and reaching out for help.

The boy’s grandmother said that while she loves dogs and owns one herself, in this particular case, “It’s a dangerous dog. It needs to be gone.”

People who own dogs have an obligation to others to take responsibility for their pets and to prevent them from attacking and injuring others. Whenever there is an animal attack involving a child, the stakes are even higher because of the small size of children compared to a large, muscular dog like a pitbull, Rottweiler or mastiff. A child can easily be killed in an attack, especially if there are multiple dogs involved.

If you or your child have been the victim of an animal attack, in addition to filing criminal charges to hold the owners liable, you may be eligible for compensation for your medical bills and pain and suffering.

A Chicago plaintiff’s attorney can file a personal injury claim against the owners and make sure that they are held civilly liable for the damages inflicted by their pet.

Source: CBS Chicago, “Young Victim Of Pitbull Attack Has Nightmares Of The Ordeal: Grandmother” Suzane Le Mingot, Apr. 17, 2014