VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A man was injured Tuesday when he fought off two dogs that were attacking his dog at a park in Van Buren Township.
Charles Clarey Jr. was covered in bandages and puncture wounds after he was attacked by two dogs he'd never seen before during a Tuesday morning walk at Van Buren Park near Rawsonville Road and the I-94 Service Drive.
Clarey said the two dogs got off their leashes and ran straight toward him and his dog, but he's not angry or upset about what happened, so he's not pressing charges.
"Oh God, it happened so fast," Clarey said. "It's all adrenaline. It's all fight."
Clarey said he goes to the park with his dog almost every day.
"We arrived, she got out the back, and in a matter of seconds, two dogs were upon her," Clarey said.
Clarey started to fight the dogs to protect his pet.
"I tried to get that one in a headlock and try to make sure he didn't do more damage to her," he said.
Clarey got beaten up in the process.
"I've got, like, eight puncture wounds here, several lacerations here, one in my head," Clarey said. "These are really deep. You can see where the animal chomped in there."
He said he believes the two dogs that attacked him were bull mastiffs. Even though he was attacked, he doesn't blame the dogs.
"Animals are animals," Clarey said. "I hope this teaches the owners to be more responsible."
Clarey said he didn't have time to think about fearing for his own life because the attack happened so fast. He's just glad he saved his dog.
"Thank God she's OK," he said. "I'll heal."
Clarey said he drove himself to the hospital after the attack. He didn't want to go in the ambulance and leave his dog and car at the park.