A Jacksonville man was bitten by a dog before a City Council meeting Wednesday, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report.
The man was bitten at approximately 4:50 p.m., the report said.
Animal Care and Protective Services volunteers brought two dogs that were up for adoption to the meeting, JSO said.
Henderson Boree, 63, said he was attending the meeting because his grandchildren were serving as helpers for the council.
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Boree said that he walked down the chambers center aisle to speak with Chief of Legislative Services Carol Owens in what Boree said was a crowded chamber hall.
According to Boree, he did not see the one of the dogs, named Elvis, while he was approaching Owens. He said he tripped over the dog and it bit him.
As he fell to the ground, Boree tried to pull away from the dog, causing the animal to bite him again, the report said.
The dog was removed from the chambers and Boree was taken to Baptist Health for medical treatment.
A witness who was a few feet from Boree when he was bitten said she saw him barrel down the aisle.
She said Boree got tangled in the dog's leash and stepped on the dog's paw, which caused the animal to bite him on the leg.
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A second witness named in the report corroborated the first witness' story, saying the man "barged" his way through the crowd.
Boree pulled the dog down when he fell to the ground, the witness said.
Action News Jax reporter Lorena Inclan spoke to Boree, who said he did not step on the dog and claims the animal was aggressive. Boree said he got 14 stitches and had torn ligaments in his foot.