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Dogs Euthanized After Two Attacks In Riverside

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two dogs that were involved in a pair of attacks in Riverside have been put down.

Both dogs belonged to the same owner, and were being walked by the same dog walker in each incident.

The first attack happened August 16, when a shepherd-beagle mix attacked a 67-year-old man who was mowing his lawn. Two days later, a pitbull attacked a smaller dog, killing it.

Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel said the dogs were taken into custody. Their owners were out of the country at the time, and police waited for them to come back before doing anything.

"We kept everything until they got back to the United States, and had them involved in every step of the way," he said.

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Weitzel declared the dogs vicious, and ordered them to be put down. He said he understands the decision to put the dogs down will be subject to debate.

"My decision was only based on public safety concerns, with documented prior incidents involving one dog, and then the other dog killing another dog," he said.

The chief said, if you have a dog that's hard to control, or see one, you should call police.

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