A Washington County man was released from Trinity Medical Center Wednesday, three-and-a-half days after being attacked by four dogs.

49-year-old William Whiddon Jr., of Chappell Hill received severe bites authorities say almost penetrated his bones. Although he's out of the hospital, Whiddon said Wednesday it would be a long time before his recovery was complete.

Whiddon owns land that touches Nicholson Lake Road, near Chappell Hill. The dogs at a home in the 3500 block of Nicholson Lake Rd., are now gone.

Washington County Sheriff's Deputies say they attacked Whiddon Saturday evening.

"He had wounds from his neck all the way to his feet," said Damon Wegner, and investigator with the Washington County Sheriff's Department.

Whiddon kept cattle in the field next to the home. Deputies said he was working on his fence when four dogs attacked him.

"It looked like he had staved the dogs off, had fought them for some distance across the pasture, where he was on his property," said Wegner.

Whiddon's father found him Saturday evening, and took him to the hospital.

"He was pretty close to being in a state of shock," said Wegner.

Authorities said when they arrived on scene an aggressive dog went after an animal control officer.

"At that time, a pit bull dog was put down by gunfire," said Wegner.

Officers couldn't find a german shepherd mix, but confiscated two other mixed breeds.

"The two that were collected were in pretty poor physical condition," said Wegner.

Brian McDonald and his mother Gloria McDonald were both charged with one felony count of animal attack, and four counts of animal cruelty.

"The conditions that the dogs were living in, surrounding the residence, were deplorable. They were kept in pens, no food or water, sleeping in their own feces," said Wegner.

Gloria McDonald has posted the $6,000 bond. Although she says she wasn't home at the time, she believes the dogs got loose, and were just protecting her home.

The two confiscated dogs were euthanized, all three will be tested for rabies.

Washington County Judge Dorothy Morgan says she is looking into the idea of a county-wide leash law.

Its something county commissioners discussed years ago, but Morgan says at the time, county residents didn't support it.