A horrible start to the New Year for a 62-year old Chicago jogger left in critical condition after being attacked by two pit bulls while jogging along the lakefront near Rainbow Bridge Park early Monday morning. According to the Chicago Tribune, the dogs bit the jogger all over his entire body, including his face, arms, and especially legs. An eye witness, Stanley Lee, overheard the joggers screams for help from his nearby apartment and attempted to stop the dogs. He hit them repeatedly with a baseball bat, but the dogs would not let go. Their jaws were locked in place. Luckily the police arrived soon after and shot both dogs.
Authorities have stated that the dogs’ owner has been ticketed for failing to restrain them and for not having city dog licenses. He could be facing fines of up to $2000 dollars. In addition, under the Illinois Animal Control Act, dog owners are strictly liable for injuries caused by their animals. The owner claims the dogs got loose when somebody left his gate open. The owner should have been responsible enough to ensure that this gate was closed considering such large dogs where being housed. While the dogs did have collars on, they did not have identification tags on the collars, or microchips embedded underneath their skin. The owner came forward as the owner of the dogs in good faith.
The dogs were both unneutered adult males, weighing in at over 70lbs each, pretty large considering the average pit bull weighs between 55-65 lbs. It should be noted that any dog can be dangerous, not just pit bulls. They tend to have a bad reputation, but in reality, any dog unproperly socialized can be dangerous.
Neighborhood residents claim that they have seen many unleashed dogs walking alongside their owners, many of which are also pit bulls. One even claimed she saw a pit bull rip a coat off of a small child. This seems to be an ongoing problem in the Chicagoland area.
The following are a few tips to help avoid dog bites:
– Do not approach or pet an unfamiliar dog.
– Before petting someone else’s dog, ask the owner for permission.
– Do not try to pull a toy, a stick, or any item from a dog’s mouth.
– Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping,
eating, or caring for puppies.
– Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.
– Do not run from a dog and scream.
– Remain motionless.
If you or a close family member or friend has suffered a dog related injury, contact Chicago Accident and Injury Attorneys Zneimer & Zneimer for a free personal injury consultation to learn about your rights as a victim of a dog bite.