DETROIT – Two pit bulls attacked and killed a small dog in Detroit, then turned and attacked that dog's owner.

"I feel bad. It's the worst feeling. It's a part of my family too," Jimmy Sanchez said.

Sanchez said part of his family is gone.

"My dog passed away. Already, it was dead," he said.

Sanchez said his neighbor's two dogs attacked his dog named Ashes on Tuesday morning, when he let the dog out in the backyard.

"My dog stayed by myself and the other dogs go under the fence and get it," Sanchez said.

Sanchez said he tried to fight off the dogs, but they turned on him.

"He attacked me and tried to bite my fingers. It's OK, I can handle it, but my dog can't handle that," he said.

Detroit police warned people to stay back after the attack because the dogs were loose. Animal control later arrived and took the two dogs.

The dogs' owner wasn't home at the time of the attack.

"They're dogs. They're watch dogs," John Grant, the owner, said.

When asked if his dogs were violent, Grant said, "Well, the way I look at it, all dogs got teeth."

Grant said he was remorseful over what happened.