Area-wide community clean ups are typically positive events. Volunteers team up with City workers to tackle specific areas of the city and make the community a cleaner, nice place to live.

This past Sunday, however, near Gladstone Boulevard and Brighton Avenue, a Park Department employee and two other bystanders who just happened to be outside at the time were victims of unprovoked attacks by two vicious dogs running loose in the area. The attack was so brutal, it sent the Parks Department employee to the hospital by ambulance.

Indian Mound neighbor Christopher Lowrance, who was leading a group of volunteers nearby along the walking path on Gladstone Boulevard, rushed to the victim’s aid, scaring the two dogs off.

“I literally don’t know what I would have done had he (Christopher) not been there,” the Parks Department employee said.

The dogs were traced to a residence near North Denver and Saida avenues. According to KC Pet Project (KCPP) Chief Communications Officer Tori Fugate, officers responded almost immediately due to the number of the calls on the dogs and the severity.

“Our officers were on duty and they started responding immediately,” Fugate said. “We took three separate reports from the victims and interviewed multiple witnesses as well.”

Monday afternoon, KCPP officers secured the dogs, both female pit bull mixes, from the owners and transported them to the KCPP facility in Swope Park. One of the dogs is pregnant with pups. Neither has been spayed, a requirement in Kansas City, Mo. Both will be held for at least 10 days for rabies observation, which Fugate noted is standard procedure in any dog attack where the dog is picked up and brought in.

“We have alerted the owners, however, that in this case, it could be longer given the scope of the investigation,” Fugate said.

Owners could face a number of charges in this case due to the severity of the attacks, the number of victims and the boldness of the dogs involved. KCPP staff is currently working through their investigation and those charges could come as soon as Wednesday or Thursday.

If the dogs are returned to the owners, Fugate noted that both dogs would be spayed and the owners would be counseled on keeping the dogs under control or fenced while outside.

“The owners will be required to stay in compliance with the laws, which could include signage in the yard referencing a potentially aggressive dog or it may have to have an orange leash or collar, which denotes an aggressive dog,” Fugate said.

The possibility also exists that the dogs could be put down if they are found to be a potential hazard to the community.

The Northeast News will publish an update on charges when they become available.