What legal recourse do I have to get the vet bill paid by the owner of a mean pit bull?

One of my neighbors seemingly a real trouble maker has 3 pitt bulls, none of them seem nice. I attribute their attitude to their owner who seem like a very mean bitter man. His dogs have attacked other animals in the neighborhood killing at least 2 cats. Said neighbor’s dogs attacked another neighbor’s dog causing great injury, how he got the dog back heaven only knows, part of the condition for his dog being returned was that if the animal was outside its cage it had to be monitored, on a leash, and muzzled. Said neighbor just opened the door and let his dog out to do its business with no supervision, no leash and not even muzzled. Said neighbor’s pitt got a hold of my kitten and had its mouth locked on it. It took the dog’s owner socking it in is head while my house mate poked it up its rear for it to loosen its grip enough for me to get the kitten from its mouth. The kitten I can happily say survived, but not unharmed. I am having my kitten checked out just in case there is something internal that was damaged other than the bites marks that can be seen. Seeing said owner violated the conditions he was suppose to follow after the last attack this attack would not have ended like it did. Becuase of which I feel he should foot the vet bill because there would be no need for it if he had been a more responsible owner. Has any of you Jellies had to encounter such? If so, how did you get the owner to repay you for cost you would not have occured had they don’t better controling their animal? Yes, I reported the dog.