RANTOUL, Ill. (WAND) - A Rantoul animal control officer is receiving treatment at a local hospital after trying to detain four aggressive dogs Wednesday morning.Â
The Rantoul Police Department says they were called to a home in the 1400 block of Mather Drive at 8:45 a.m. on Monday for a report of American Bulldogs acting aggressively towards a woman as she tried to exit her home.Â
Rantoul Police Animal Control arrived on scene first and when he exited his vehicle, the four dogs swarmed his car. Police say they tried to distract the dogs by turning on the police siren, but the dogs did not change their behavior and continued to attack the animal control officer.
The dogs bit the officer on his arms and legs pinning him against his van. Police say as the animal control officer was still being attacked, the police officer got out of his vehicle and fired five shots, hitting all four of the dogs.
Two of the dogs died on the scene and two were taken to the University of Illinois Emergency Vet Medicine for treatment.Â
Police say the animal control officer was bit several times and taken to Carle for treatment.Â
Rantoul Police say they are still investigating the incident.Â
***Earlier today in a release, the Rantoul Police Department identified the dogs incorrectly saying the were Pit Bulls but sent a correction that the dogs were American Bulldogs. In the updated release, The Rantoul Police Department apologized for the error.Â
