Ten-year-old William Wyatt Kunert of Cheyenne, Wyo., didn't hesitate when a dog attacked him and his 2-year-old brother, Jordan Martinez.

The brothers were on their own front porch when a neighbor's pit bull managed to jump over the fence around its yard and charged the boys. The fence in question was 4 feet high, but the animal still managed to get over it.

Kunert, who has been attacked by dogs in the past, got Jordan into the house and tried to slam the door against the pit bull. But the dog got there too fast for that, and clamped onto Kunert's leg for long, painful minutes. The bite left severe injuries that required multiple surgeries to repair.

According to William's mother, the dog would probably have killed Jordan if it had gotten a hold of him instead of the older boy, given the severity of William's injuries.

Kunert said he knew the dog was going to bite him if he got Jordan out of the way, but he did it anyway, even though he has scars on his face from an equally painful bite in the past.

Kunert's brave actions have been rewarded, however. The American Medical Response Team gave the young hero their Everyday Heroes award in honor of his courage.

A representative of the AMRT said that courage is more about acting despite fear than about not having it, and said that Kunert's actions are an example of everything Emergency Responders stand for. Officials praised his actions, calling him a "hero among heroes" at the ceremony. Kunert is the first recipient of the new award, making the occasion all the more special to him and his family.

For his part, Kunert has recovered well from his injuries. He is able to play normally, without any serious, lasting damage from the attack.

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Police in Ridgefield, Conn., are continuing their investigation into a dog attack that left a town resident and his puppy injured last week.

According to Police Captain Clifford Scharf, numerous leads have been followed up since German shepherds attacked resident Guy Marchison and his golden retriever puppy, Star. The attack occurred on Tuesday, April 20. Star was only 14 weeks old at the time.

Marchison claims that the dogs rushed Star, and he picked her up to keep her away from the attack. The shepherds persisted in the attack, causing injuries to both Marchison and his puppy as he tried to shield her from their assault. The dogs' apparent owner whistled and they broke off the attack, followed him into his vehicle, whereupon he drove away. They were seen leaving in a Hummer, either gold or orange-colored.

Ridgefield police initially asked the press not to report on the vehicle's description, fearing that letting the information out could disrupt the investigation, but another news outlet leaked the information later.

According to Captain Scharf, “Once we identify someone we will apply for a warrant and that takes time."

Mr. Marchison was taken to Danbury Hospital for bites to his face and hands. He suffered eight puncture wounds, and was placed on medication in case of rabies. The puppy was taken to the emergency animal hospital. She suffered a serious wound to the chest and will require surgery, but seems to be in good spirits on the whole.

The attack is unusual, as many dog bite cases involve animals near their homes, with an owner clearly present and approachable. Captain Scharf has stated that the owner of the dogs is likely to face criminal charges in the matter, although whether these would be relating to negligence in allowing his dogs to attack someone or relate to fleeing from the scene remains unstated.

The captain did confess that he would hate to be the owner of a Hummer matching the description put out, however.

In Ohio, two unrestrained dogs attacked an unnamed woman as she was walking her own small dog. The attacking dogs, a pit bull and an American bulldog, were apparently after the woman's pet and rushed across the street when they saw the two passing by. The woman lifted her dog up in her arms to protect it and received numerous injuries as the two bulldogs tried to get at the smaller animal.

A man who was in the house that the two dogs had originated from ran across the street and defended the woman and her pet, kicking and pushing at the dogs in an effort to get them off her. Putting himself between the two parties, the man also suffered injuries as the dogs became more excited and began biting him as well. Both the woman and the man required medical attention. The woman's pet was unharmed.

The owner of the two dogs has been identified as Tessa Campbell, age 36. She claims that children in the house let the dogs out, but the authorities have still charged her with leaving animals at large. Campbell claims that the dogs have been vaccinated for rabies but could not recall the veterinarian's name. The county health board will be notified in regard to the incident, and the two dogs are currently being held in quarantine pending further investigation.

It is unclear whether the animals were let loose purposefully or simply by accident, but bulldogs and pit bulls have very powerful jaws and are very strong for their size in proportion to other dogs. Due to their strength, animals of these breeds require a higher degree of supervision for fear of the injuries these dogs can cause. Yet all manner of animals and pets, much like the aggressors in this case, frequently get loose and rarely does it end in an attack. Luckily, no one in this case was seriously injured, and it becomes another such event added to a long list in the debate over pet owners' rights versus community safety standards.

In Semmes, Alabama, a three-year-old toddler was bitten more than 50 times by her neighbor’s three dogs. While full details are not clear yet, it is known that all three dogs attacked the child so aggressively that they hauled her off the ground and left her in need of over 160 stitches. The dog bite victim, Madisyn Shelton cannot sit up, but her doctors say there is no sign of infection, and she seems to be on the road to recovery.

The attack has, understandably, outraged Madisyn's family and shocked the community. The family has acquired the services of an attorney to represent them in this matter. They are considering filing a civil suit against the dogs' owner, one James White.

The attack was so violent that city officials are pursuing a statewide act that has not yet been used. In short, the act allows people to request that violent dogs be declared dangerous, allowing the state to seize them to be euthanized. As for James White, a warrant has been issued for his arrest, and he has not yet turned himself in.

Cases such as this illustrate the difficulties inherent in pet ownership within a community. Some owners feel their pets should have the freedom to roam and exercise, which can clash with a level of community safety that parents of small children naturally desire. The case also brings up questions about the proper role of the state in property ownership as well as an owner’s liability for a pet’s actions. There is no evidence that White's dogs had any prior history of attacking anyone. Yet the fact remains that they severely harmed this little girl with no apparent provocation and remain potentially dangerous to neighbors or other children that live nearby.

Madisyn continues to recover at a children's hospital, and her family has established a charity fund for anyone who wishes to help with the costs of her recovery.