ESCONDIDO ---- Escondido Animal Control is investigating a report by a 56-year-old man who said he was badly bitten Tuesday morning in a West Escondido gated community by a pair of aggressive dogs, one of which animal control officials said has a history of biting.

Tom Atkinson said he was finishing a jog on Rock View Glen in the Emerald Heights development when he noticed what looked like two loose pit-bull mix dogs growling at a neighbor and his leashed dog.

Atkinson said he joined the neighbor, and as the men walked on, the wandering dogs jumped at him. He said he fought off the dogs, and they ran away.

However, as he continued up the street, Atkinson said the dogs turned around and charged. He said the pair bit him several times, leaving him with one bad bite to the forearm that a doctor said will need stitches and another deep bite to the thigh.

An animal control officer responded and impounded one of the dogs, later releasing it back to the owner, who promised to keep it on a 10-day quarantine, said Traci Chavez, director of animal control for the Escondido Humane Society. The other dog also was allowed to stay with the owner and was not quarantined, she said.

Chavez said animal control took a report that one of the dogs had bitten someone at the owners' previous Escondido address within the past 36 months.

However, she would not identify the dogs' owners or their current or previous address.

Chavez said there may be an administrative hearing to determine whether the dogs are potentially dangerous or dangerous under the law.

Call staff writer Sarah Gordon at 760-740-3517.