The owner of a dog that killed a smaller dog in Dartmouth earlier this week wants her dog saved.

Kassandra Allard-Morin says she's worried her dog named Bruce will be put down after attacking and killing a small Pomeranian named Diamond Monday.

"I don't want anybody to think for a second that we're not sorry for what happened — that just because we're trying to save our dog's life means we're not taking responsibility for what happened," Allard-Morin said Friday evening.

He's a three-year-old American Staffordshire terrier mix, which is commonly referred to as a pit bull.

City officials charged Allard-Morin Thursday with a dog attack, a dog running at large and having an unlicensed dog.

The minimum fine for a dog attack is $300 and carries a maximum of $5,000. If unpaid, the owner could go to jail for up to 60 days.

"We're taking responsibility for our dog," Allard-Morin said.

"Our dog got loose. Even though it was an accident, he was running at large and he did attack another dog. We're not denying that. We're not trying to make excuses... It's unfortunate that we have to pay fines, but we broke the bylaw."

Diamond was inside her home when Bruce, an American Staffordshire terrier mix, caught her. (Submitted by Rachelle Coward)

Rachelle Coward, who owned the Pomeranian, says the bigger dog cornered her four-year-old dog before grabbing it and taking it outside. Coward and her family tried to save Diamond.

"The next thing you know I'm on top of a pit bull trying to wrestle just to get the jaws off Diamond's neck," Coward said at the time.

The yard does not have a fence

Allard-Morin says her dog was in the backyard on a chain leash covered with rubber. The dog's collar snapped, she said.

Bruce is an American Staffordshire terrier mix rescued a year ago, his owner says. (Supplied by Kassandra Allard-Morin )

The dog has a "high prey instinct," she said, and often tried, without success, to chase cats. The leash always stopped him before, she said.

The yard does not have a fence.

Allard-Morin and her partner took their eyes off the dog for just a moment, she said, something they say they'll never do again.

"We know that now. As dog owners, we sometimes become complacent because we've had the dog for so much time," she said.

'We might lose ours'

The dog was rescued a year ago after being a stray, she said. He wasn't comfortable around dogs when they first took him in. The family took him to training classes and now has a second dog, an eight-year-old Bull dog-Boston Terrier mix named Carla.

After the attack Monday Allard-Morin said she visited Coward to apologize and offered to help pay for vet bills.

"It's devastating," she said. "I'm sad for them for losing their pet and I'm also sad that we might lose ours."

The dog is being kept at Homeward Bound shelter. The family hasn't seen him since the attack, though they've dropped off special dog food as he's allergic to beef, chicken, pork and corn, she said.

Allard-Morin is scheduled to appear in court early January. At that time the status of her dog will also be assessed.