When the animal control officer knocked on the door Wednesday morning, little Evy Atwell cowered behind her mom's legs.

"Did he bring the dogs back?" Evy asked.

No, the officer did not bring the dogs back, mom Christin Atwell assured the 4-year-old.

Evy's dad, Travis Atwell, watched his frightened daughter from the couch. On his lap sat her 2-year-old brother, Lane, covered in bruises and bite marks.

Travis Atwell said he is angry that someday soon an animal control officer might bring the dogs back.

Both Evy and Lane were attacked by a neighbor's dogs while the toddlers were playing in their kiddie pool on Monday. Christin Atwell was also bitten by the dogs when she tried to protect her children.

The two dogs, described by the Atwells as pit bulls, are under a 10-day quarantine with the Springfield-Greene County Health Department.

"The owners assured us they were not interested in getting the dogs back," Travis Atwell said. "But the sad thing is, it's possible."

Kathryn Wall, spokesperson for the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, said the department is working with the city prosecutor to determine what will happen to the dogs.

"No determination has been made yet," Wall said in an email Wednesday morning.

Wall said the dogs are male pit mixes.

'It could have been a lot worse'

Christin Atwell said she was washing dishes and watching her children from the kitchen window around 11:30 a.m. Monday when she heard dogs barking and Evy calling for help.

She said she's thankful she was near the window to hear her daughter's faint cries over their loud air conditioning unit.

Atwell said she ran out the back door and saw Evy still standing in the pool, and Lane with his back up against the shed door. The two dogs were on top of Lane, biting him in the back and head.

She said she scooped up her son, kicked the dogs away and screamed louder than she ever had before. The dogs then returned to Evy and one bit her leg. Christin Atwell rushed over and picked up Evy.

With her two bleeding children in her arms, she tucked them in as best she could and huddled on top of them.

By this time, Travis Atwell heard the commotion and came outside. He kicked the dogs away and followed them to a nearby house. He knocked on the door and told the owner what happened.

Travis Atwell said the dogs' owner responded with, "They wouldn't hurt anybody."

"I heard him say that while my children were still screaming," Travis Atwell recalled. "A lady drove by and said those dogs wouldn't hurt anybody — literally while my family was still screaming."

Their story was shared on social media Tuesday night by another media outlet. The Atwells said they were shocked to read comments from strangers suggesting the animals might have been provoked by the children.

"They were playing in their kiddie pool. They are 2 and 4," Christin Atwell said.

Travis Atwell said they had to quit reading the comments.

"People say it's how they are trained. In this case, (the owners) love their dogs," Travis Atwell said. "They aren't having dog fights in their backyard. It's the nature of the breed.

"They didn't train their dogs to attack people," he added. "They are sad this happened."

The Atwells said they don't want to identify the dogs' owners and that the owners have been asking about the children every day.

"We are trying to keep the spotlight off them," Christin said. "They have suffered losses too because they love their dogs."

Christin and Travis Atwell said they hope Springfield City Council will change the current breed-specific ordinance soon — although not in the way pit bull supporters have been advocating.

Council agreed to take up repeal of pit bull restrictions in 90 days. It's been 7 months.

"I would like to see pit bulls out of city limits," Travis Atwell said.

"And euthanization after an attack," Christin Atwell added. "I don't think there should be any second chances."

Travis Atwell said he knows his wife and kids' physical wounds will heal. It's the emotional trauma that worries him most. He is especially worried about Evy, who witnessed what happened to her little brother.

Evy woke up in the middle of the night Tuesday crying, Travis Atwell said.

He said both children continually ask if the dogs are back. Lane sometimes confuses them with lions and asks, "Why did the lions bite me?"

The children and Christin Atwell were treated at the emergency room. The wounds were cleaned and dressed.

Lane received bites to his face, ears and back. His back is bruised and he cries when his parents pick him up or dress him. Evy has a bite on her upper thigh. Christin Atwell has bites on her side and arm. All three say they are sore and stiff.

"It keeps replaying over and over in my mind," Christin Atwell said. "You wonder what you could have differently. But it could have been a lot worse. We could have lost one of our kids.”