(May 11, 2005) -- LB Animal Control says a gardener trimming some trees at a home in the 400 block of east 61st St. was attacked by a pitbull that had been chained on a nearby property but broke loose, jumped a fence and attacked the man.

Wesley Moore of LB Animal Control says the gardener fought the pitbull until a labrador retriever (who lived on the property where the gardener was working) appeared...and the pitbull attacked that dog.

Fearing the pitbull would kill the labrador retriever, the gardener grabbed a chain saw and tried to scare off the pitbull with the noise. That didn't work. The gardener hit the pitbull with the chain saw on the back of the neck. That broke the chain saw...and the pitbull began attacking the gardener again.

The gardener continued struggling with the pitbull, found a second chain saw...and struck the dog underneth the neck. The pitbull broke off the attack, went back to its home...and died.

The gardener's pants were torn in several places but he managed to avoid being bitten; the laborador retriever was injured and taken to a veterinarian, Mr. Moore said.

He added that it appears the gardener was acting self defense, defending himself and the labrador retriever in trying to get the pitbull to break off its attack.

Mr. Moore said LB Animal Control still has final reports and information to review before deciding on final action, but it doesn't appear there'll be charges against the gardener...and evidence shows the chain holding the pitbull broke and it appears the owner was trying trying to contain the animal.