Man injured after dog attack in Southgate neighborhood

Justin Danich urges pet owner to be mindful of other neighbors

SOUTHGATE, Mich. – Justin Danich was at the corner of Leroy Street and Cameron Avenue in Southgate Sunday evening when he came across a woman walking her dog.

“I believe it was a pit bull, black with white spots,” said Danich, who was walking with his dog Charlie at the time. “She (dog’s owner) screamed, ‘Pick up your dog.’”

He quickly grabbed Charlie, but before he knew it, the dog had started biting him.

“That’s when he started biting my arm and then she was trying to get the dog ... I kept turning and he let go, and then he jumps out and bit my arm again,” he said. “You can still see the blood out in the street from where it actually happened in the circling around trying to get away from the dog.”

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Danich said the woman had to lay on her dog to stop the attack. That’s when he took Charlie back home and asked the woman to stay there while he called the police; however, when he came back, she was gone.

He said he had to get a series of shots on the bites on his arm and leg and has to go back times to get the rest of his rabies shots. He said he’s thankful he wasn’t walking with his 13-year-old daughter like he usually does, but he’s nervous about something like this happening again to someone else.

“I always see kids and elderly people walking their dogs. I’m a 200-pound guy, 6 foot. I’m alright,” Danich said.

He’s asking the woman who owns the dog to be mindful of the people in the neighborhood.

“We all love our dogs and pets but, again, things happen. If you can’t control your dog like that then please don’t take them out. It just takes one time for something like that to happen.” he said.

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