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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An MLGW employee is recovering after a vicious dog attack in Orange Mound sent him to the hospital, and now the dogs’ owner is facing charges.

Officers say the employee came to disconnect the utilities at the home on Dunmoor Road around noon and told a woman she was out of time to pay them.

When he walked back to turn off the meter, he told police he heard the woman and two men talking about whether or not they paid the bill.

Moments later, he said two pit bulls were let out of the house and attacked him.

Neighbor Geneva Williams said her friend saw it happen and tried to help, along with the men who live there.

“He said the dogs really messed the man up kind of good, bit his arm up kind of good,” Williams said. “He said the man jumped on the dogs to get them off the man.”

The MLGW worker was bit on his arm, hand, stomach, shoulder and chest.

Alexis Pugh with Memphis Animal Services says they were called to the scene to take the animals, but the two dogs were gone.

“Unfortunately, we see these types of situations often,” Pugh said.

They issued the owner a court summons for the dogs not having licenses, rabies tags, being spayed or neutered, and being at large and dangerous.

The owner has been instructed he also needs to also be out looking for the dogs and attempting to call them and reclaim them, Pugh said.

Neighbors say in the meantime, they worry for the kids who live nearby.

“That ain’t good because those dogs will kill you,” Williams said.

Pugh says this is an example of why pets need to be in compliance with the city of Memphis’ ordinances — and isn’t about the breed.

“I do hate when situations like this might help perpetuate stigmas about dogs like pit bulls,” Pugh said. “Dogs are individuals just like people are.”

We tried to talk to the dog owners. The woman at the home told us she doesn’t live there and wouldn’t give us the owners’ contact information.