JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The 9-year-old boy attacked by dogs as he arrived at his elementary school returned home from the hospital on Wednesday to continue recovering from his injuries.

Three dogs outside of Hogan-Spring Glen Elementary bit four children and one adult Tuesday morning.

The injuries suffered by 9-year-old Randall King were the most serious; he had to be taken to the operating room to be treated. His mother, Jan King, said the boy had so many stitches that she lost count.

"When I saw him, I did all I could do to not break down, and when I saw his injuries, I had to leave the room. I got sick," King said.

However, Randall's wounds were only half of King's worries. Her other son, Christopher, was also attacked as he tried to help his brother. The two boys were on their bikes when the dogs chased them down.

"I was going back and forth between sons. And my other son, he was traumatized and hurt. He broke down, and I had to calm him down," King said.

She said her son Christopher is a hero, saying the fact that he and the others outside of the school who came to Randall's rescue probably prevented something worse from happening.

"I thank God that they were there for him. If not for them, he might not be here. I might not be sitting here saying thank you," King said.

Despite receiving numerous wounds from the attack, Randall is likely to go back to class next week.

The dogs that bit the children were caught near the scene of the attacks, but Tuesday was not the first time they were running free. On Aug.13, two of the dogs were roaming the streets and subsequently impounded. They were given back to their owner four days later after he paid the required fees and fines.

There was another call to animal control last week reporting at least one of the dogs running free, again.

"I'm outraged as a parent that this could happen," King said. "It makes me angry knowing they're being picked up and being put right back out there."

Animal control division Chief David Flagler said Jacksonville has a problem because of pet owners.

"Those dogs need to be confined," Flagler said. "We have a community of bad pet owners -- people who think they live in a rural environment that they allow their pets to just freely run loose in the neighborhood."

He said animal control tries to help, but that they're, with just 16 officers and hundreds of calls each week.

The city ordinance outlaws at-large animals, but the pets can be redeemed if certain fees and fines are paid.

The ordinance says if a dog attacks a human, the dog will be destroyed.

"The problem that we have is with pet owners. The pet owners need to accept their responsibilities and control their pets. When they don't do it, animal control is called to respond," Flagler said.