JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Westside man who was mangled by his neighbor's pit bull may have to undergo a series of rabies shots if health officials cannot locate the dog that bit him. Bill Bradner suffered puncture wounds to his arms and face and had his nose bitten off when his neighbor's 20-pound pit bull allegedly attacked him Sunday.

"I'm standing erect and the dog jumped all the way up to my face," Bradner said. "And then (it) grabbed my whole nose and part of my eye socket and lower eye socket and just started shaking…ripping my face apart, pretty much."

Bradner has not seen his neighbor's pet since, and now officials with the Duval County Health Department and animal control are giving authorities until May 24 to find the canine. Officials have been unable to find the pit bull and test it for rabies.

"We look at strictly rabies to make sure there's no risk of rabies in the animal," said Hilton Emanuel, an official with the health department.

Bradner's neighbor has not responded to attempts by authorities to contact him about testing the dog, and it is possible that the owner may have absconded with it.

Dead or alive, officials want to make sure the dog is not rabid. The only way to do that is to find the animal. If they cannot, Bradner will have to endure at least seven rabies shots.

"Typically because it's a pit bull and because of the power and strength that they have, their bites do more damage," Emanuel said.