WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) – Anastasiya Kurilova returned home Sunday to find her Maltese, Zoe, had been killed by a pit bull.

“I saw my mom sitting on the pavement holding my baby, covered in blood. I fell on the ground and said ‘Zoe what did they do to you?’” said Kurilova.

Her mother, Valentina, saw the whole thing. Valentina was standing in the parking lot of their apartment complex with their dog, preparing to put her in the car.

“Out of nowhere this pit bull comes from under the car, grabs Zoe, and starts shaking her. Within seconds she was dead,” said Kurilova.

Westminster Animal Control says the pit bull’s owner was out of town. The dog was being watched by a friend. The city is keeping the pit bull detained until the owner returns.

“The officers told me the dog doesn’t have any history of violence, so it won’t be put down. That’s the problem. It already attacked my dog and killed my dog in a snap,” said Kurilova.

The City of Westminster does not have any breed restrictions. Instead, the city has rules designed to control dangerous and vicious animals in the city. According to their website, “The city opted for this control method rather than a ban on specific breeds because research shows the problem is more influenced by owner negligence than breed.”

Animal Control says a court will ultimately decide what happens to the pitbull. Zoe wasn’t the first dog to be killed by a pit bull in Westminster and Anastasiya is certain she won’t be the last.

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“All it takes is one time and somebody has to be first. Unfortunately, it was us, but it’s going to happen again,” said Kurilova. “I don’t want anyone else to suffer the way we had to suffer.”

Kurilova says she will attend city council meetings to push for the ban for pit bulls in Westminster.