As cities across Quebec continue to pass legislation regarding dog ownership, another pit bull attack occurred on Tuesday, this time in St. Michel.

Antonio Angelone suffered bites to his right arm after trying to protect a teenage girl from a pit bull in Champdore Park. 

Angelone said he had just finished watching a soccer game with his family and were walking through the park when he heard a young girl screaming. He originally thought she was playing with the dog but soon realized it was not the case.

"We thought she was just playing, but obviously she was on the floor and we saw the dog really getting aggressive over her," he said.

Once he realized what was happening, Angelone jumped into action.

“I grabbed a stick, I hit the dog,” he said. “The dog turned and came over to me. I had the reflex to put up my hand so he bit me on my hand. He was stuck there, so I had to punch him,” after which the dog let go.

The girl was taken to hospital with bites to her legs and chest but her injuries are not life threatening according to police.

The dog was taken to a shelter. Its owner was not home at the time of the attack but police said they could possibly face charges related to not having registration for the dog and violating leash laws.

SPCA spokesperson Anita Kapuscinska reiterated the organization's stance that banning the breed is not the answer.

"We know for a fact that 75 per cent of unsterilized male dogs are involved in dog bites," she said. "This is something that can be changed by regulating sterilization."

She added that it's important for pet owners to abide by leash laws and called on the city to make sure those regulations are enforced.

On Wednesday, the city of Longueuil announced new restrictions on pit bulls and other large breeds, including requiring owners to put their pets through an obedience course and for the animals to wear muzzles when out in public. In mid-June, both Montreal and Quebec City announced bans on the breed after 51-year-old Christiane Vadnais was killed by her neighbour’s dog in Pointe-Aux-Trembles.