DEARBORN, Mich. – A pit bull attacked its owner in Dearborn as a horrified Animal Control officer looked on, according to officials.

The incident happened after neighbors complained about the dog and an Animal Control officer was sent to the owner's home.

Signs at the front of the home give a fair warning of what to expect, and neighbors said trouble with the owner's dogs is not a surprise.

"I hate to say it, but it's been building up," neighbor Lela Warren said. "These dogs have gotten out several times. The neighbor right here's had that dog in his backyard, snarling at him."

On Monday afternoon, before the attack, an Animal Control officer approached the owner, who was in the backyard of his home with the pit bull.

"Animal Control peeked over the fence, I guess just to kind of see this dog, and the dog went after her," Warren said.

The owner apparently pulled the dog back to restrain it, and the pit bull attacked him, injuring both of his arms. He is expected to recover.

"All of a sudden, the dog, I guess, turned on him," neighbor Austin Ramos said. "All we saw was him flailing around behind the fence there. He was just going, 'No, no no,' and at some point, he goes, 'Shoot it. Shoot it. Shoot it.'"

The pit bull was put down Monday afternoon, officials said.

"The owner's great," Ramos said. "The owner's a great guy. He's always careful to keep the dog behind the fence and whatnot, but I guess just this time, it turned on him. He was covered in blood. His arms were all cut up. We're just happy, you know, he's OK."