After encountering a dog attacking his own pet, a Wichita Falls man shot and killed the attacking animal, according to the Wichita Falls Police Department.

Sgt. Harold McClure, a Wichita Falls police spokesperson, said officers responded to shots fired call in the 3100 block of Manchester Road shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Sgt. McClure said the officer spoke with a homeowner, who said he was outside getting ready to start cooking food on the grill.

The man reportedly heard a loud bang coming from the other side of the property and saw a large pit bull in his backyard attacking his German shepherd.

The individual went inside of his residence, got a handgun and went back outside, McClure said.

Seeing the pit bull still attacking his German shepherd, McClure said the man tried to separate them with a shovel. McClure said the pit bull began to try to attack the man, which led to him firing two shots and killing the dog.

The officers located the dead dog and believed it to belong to a neighbor. Animal control was called, and the dog's owners were notified.

McClure said that the dog's owners appeared to understand why the dog was killed.