Two more pit bulls were involved in a recent dog attack in Chicago. An elderly couple pet sitting for one of the dogs watched as the pit bull suddenly attacked one of their dogs. The pit bull then turned on the couple.

When the police arrived on the scene a number of minutes later, the victim of the attack was covered with blood and was still being savaged by the pit bull. The police attempted to get the pit bull to release the grip, but when this failed the police then had to shoot the dog to save the victim's life. The wife of the man attacked was also injured after being bit a number of times on the arm.

In the meantime, the police also attempted to subdue another pit bull that was loose on the front yard of the home. Police officers were forced to shoot that pit bull as well after it then attacked the officers. The owner of the second pit bull was not identified as it was believed to have been running loose in the neighborhood.

Ultimately, the owner of the pit bulls is responsible under Illinois law for the attacks that occurred. There is no one-bite policy in Illinois that protects owners the first time that an attack has occurred. The circumstances of the above pit bull attacks should provide some insight as to why legislators feel such a policy is required.

Attorneys prosecute these types of cases precisely because such attacks are often anything but minor. In the above attack, the pit bull had literally removed chunks of flesh from the leg and arm of the injured man. Without the arrival of the police, the dog would have taken the man's life.

Source: Opposing Views, "Pit Bulls Attack Pet Sitters in Arizona and Illinois," by Denise A. Justin, Feb. 3, 2012