Dogs Maul 13-Year-Old Girl Throwing Out Trash, Owner Shoots Pit Bulls

In a horrific incident, a 13-year-old girl was mauled by pit bulls in Chicago while she was taking out trash.

The girl, who was not identified by the media, was in an alley next to her house Monday when her neighbor's dogs attacked her, CBS Chicago reported. The pit bulls reached the alley through a garage and mauled the girl, who got lacerations to her ear and both legs.

When the owner of the dogs came out of his house after hearing the girl's screams, he saw his canines were attacking her. The man then took out his gun and shot the dogs, the Chicago police reportedly said.

“We have trail of blood going into the house,” a Chicago police officer said over the dispatch radio. “We’re looking for a small child that was biten allegedly by the pit bulls,” before reaching the scene.

The girl was rushed to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where she received treatment for her injuries. Doctors said she was recovering.

The owner of the dogs has a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card and concealed carry license for his gun, police said, adding he was given two citations for unleashed animals. Details about the condition of the dogs were not available. It also remains unclear as to why the dogs attacked the girl.

Last month, a man was attacked by his girlfriend's pit bull in their Florida home. Nicholas Paone was bitten by the dog when his partner Julie Thompson tapped him on his arm to wake him up. Paone lost an ear and received several injuries on his arms and legs despite trying to get the dog off him.

Paone was dazed, confused and “startled due to not knowing what was going on, however paramedics were able to calm Nicholas (Paone) down,” the police had said at the time. He was admitted to Halifax Health Medical Center. The dog was placed in a 10-day quarantine following the incident.