DeKALB CO., Ga.,None — A 71-year-old DeKalb County woman said she was forced to defend herself with a butcher knife when her neighbor's dogs attacked her.
"When they were coming after me, I just kept swinging the blade," dog attack victim Margie Hunt said.
Hunt said her neighbor's dogs, named Duke and Lusha, came after her as she went outside to get her mail. She said she had no choice but to use the knife, cutting one of the dogs in the face.
"(I had) to try to keep them off me, because I didn't want them to knock me down," Hunt said.
Matt Shulman, the owner of the dogs, told Channel 2 News reporter Diana Davis that neither of his dogs are vicious. He admitted that they were not on a leash, but said he had a hold of one of them by the collar.
Hunt's son, Tony Hunt, said that was not enough.
"It's a leash law and everybody has to follow it, especially for that type of animal. That type of animal is a vicious pet," Tony Hunt said. "They had my nephew pinned on top of a car one day."
Shulman said his dogs had interacted with the Hunt family before, but nothing aggressive.
"Interaction, nothing like a bite or close to that. No scratches. Just kisses, basically," Shulman said.
On Thursday, Animal Control served Shulman with five citations. His dog, Lusha, will stay with him, but Duke, the dog that bit Margie Hunt, will be taken to animal control once he heals from his knife wounds.
The Hunts met with a lawyer on Thursday, but Shulman said he hopes the situation will blow over.
"I'm really hoping that I can go over and negotiate, or just talk. I think in the heat of the moment, I was a little brutal to them and was not apologetic or remorseful, which I regret," Shulman said.
Hunt and Shulman are expected in court on Jan. 27.
WSBTV
