Man hospitalized in dog attack

St. Petersburg, Florida — A man suffered multiple bite wounds Thursday when he was attacked by a group of pit-bulls that escaped from their owner's yard, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office reported.

Donald J. Smith, 48, of 2814 41^st Avenue North was taken to Northside Hospital for treatment of his wounds.

When deputies arrived at the scene, they say they found Smith pounding on a neighbor's door, yelling for help, after being charged by three pit-bulls. One turned to attack a deputy. He fired his gun and all three dogs ran down an alley. One returned and charged the deputy but was scared off by his car siren.

They eventually returned to their yard through a broken fence, deputies said.

Their owner, Michael D. Johansen, 29, of 2808 41^st Avenue North, was cited with a county ordinance violation for dogs running at large. Deputies said he voluntarily surrendered the pit-bulls to animal control.