A man lost part of a finger while trying to stop a pit bull from attacking his dog in New London Tuesday morning, police said, and the pit bull died from injuries sustained in the fight with the other dog.

Police officers and firefighters responded to the area of Cape Ann Court and Ashcraft Road at 7:24 a.m. after a 911 call came in reporting that two dogs were attacking a person.

Police officers found a 21-year-old man who was trying to separate two dogs that were fighting. Officers used a stun gun when a “bite sleeve” was not effective in separating the dogs. The pit bull and the victim’s dog, a mastiff, separated after the stun gun was used and the mastiff ran off, police said.

According to the preliminary investigation, the 21-year-old man was out walking his 11-month-old mastiff mixed breed, when another dog, possibly a 2-year-old pit bull, escaped from its yard on Cape Ann Street and attacked the victim’s dog, according to police.

When the man tried to separate the two dogs, the pit bull bit him, police said. They said his finger was possibly amputated because of the bite.

The pit bull died, according to police.

Police and animal control are looking for the mastiff and they are asking anyone with information about the attack to call New London Police at 860-447-5269, extension 0 or text NLPDTips and the information to Tip411.