Many Illinois residents have read news stories in the past about children and adults being attacked by neighborhood dogs. One recent case to make headlines involved a Michigan resident who was attacked by a 3-year-old pit bull while walking home. At around 9:30 a.m. on June 2, the male pedestrian was almost home when a neighbor’s pit bull came charging at him. The pit bull had pushed through an unlocked screen door to get outside of the house.

The pit bull did not relent on its attack and bit the man multiple times, even as the owner came outside and allegedly gave the dog commands. According to the attack victim, the owner was yelling out to him out of concern that he was hurting the dog; he had been trying to grab the dog by the collar to stop it.

The pit bull was held in quarantine at an animal shelter, and there is a likelihood that it may be euthanized. In dog attack cases in which a dog is allowed to return to its owner, a judge may require the owner to keep the dog in the house at all times unless it is on a leash.

In this particular instance, the owner may be facing criminal charges for allowing her dog to escape and attack the pedestrian. The man received over 40 stitches after being repeatedly bitten by the dog. He may wish to pursue a personal injury suit against the owner for her failure to properly contain the animal. Compensation may be awarded to him to cover medical expenses.

Source: MLive, “Pit bull attacks man, bites require 40 stitches to repair puncture wounds“, Heidi Fenton, June 05, 2014