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CLINTON — Three dogs are now dead following an aggressive attack on three people Sunday.
One of the dogs was shot by a victim, while the other two were killed Monday.
Davis County Animal Control officers say multiple citations are being issued against the owner. However, the question being asked around the neighborhood is how did those dogs become so aggressive.
Tom Jorgensen was just five minutes away from leaving town for the winter when something stopped him.
He says the three dogs charged at him without warning — no barking or anything. They just started biting.
"They were so aggressive," Jorgensen said. "Couldn't believe that animals could be that aggressive."
Jorgensen told KSL-TV he was able to grab a weed whacker from off his neighbor's trailer and was able to beat back the dogs. And for a moment, they left.
"What we didn't know at the time is they had already attacked my neighbor over here," Jorgensen said.
And as Jorgensen went to check on his neighbors, that's when the dogs returned.
"And they knocked me onto the utility trailer," he said. "And was biting me and stuff."
Trapped and couldn't get away
But this time it was worse; Jorgensen says he was essentially pinned and could not fight them off. That's when his neighbor grabbed his gun.
"He came out and shot the dog," Jorgensen said.
It was an outcome neither of the men wanted. Jorgensen says he got about 20 stitches to his leg, and various wounds to his hand and other leg.
At one point, the dogs attacked his wife, too. However, she was able to escape with only a minor wound to the leg. That was all before the shot was fired.
Animal control officers say the dogs were not up to date on their rabies shots. That's why they need to be euthanized and tested so quickly. They say they also found multiple dogs with canine parvovirus on the owner's property. It is something else the animal control officers are looking into.
While Jorgensen is saddened by the turn of events, he is grateful his neighbor did what he felt he needed to do.
