CHICAGO (CBS) — A Chicago man is recovering after a vicious attack by five pit bulls. As CBS 2’s Dave Davini explains it all happened in broad daylight this weekend and may have been prevented.

“I mean man they are viscous when you walk through this alley they almost bite the fence until their mouth bleed,” said Shawn Taylor.

Shawn Taylor says five pit bulls broke free from a fence and attacked his stepson Nikita Hampton right on the sidewalk outside of a laundromat at Kedzie and Roosevelt.

“He lost of a lot of blood if you go right there it’s a big puddle,” said Taylor.

The family of the victim says the owner of the dogs didn’t keep this fence secure and before the victim knew it the dogs were on him like a pack of wolves.

“They were on him like a wild wolf pack like something you’d see in the movies,” said Taylor.

No one answered the door at the home of the owner, but authorities tell CBS 2 the dogs were taken to animal control and their owner was cited with violations for failing to secure the dogs and failing to vaccinate them.

“Any kind of irresponsible do owner should be punished,” said 2nd Ward Alderman Bob Fiorettil

Fioretti has been trying to get tougher dog laws passed in Chicago for over a year.

“I can’t believe at what’s happening. Some places in our city people are using pit bulls to train them for other reasons,” said Fioretti.

According to Taylor, his 25-year-old stepson is out of surgery and says he might be dead if not for motorist who pulled over to help beat the dogs off him.

“Thanks to all the people who jumped out of their cars to help me and to help get the dogs off my son. He wouldn’t have lived because they were on him and every time he tried to get up they pulled him back down,” said Taylor.

Alderman Fioretti says there should be mandatory licensing, proof of vaccinations and even insurance requirements for dog owners. He’s troubled that as few as one quarter of the people with dogs actually license them in Chicago.