A city man injured in a pit bull attack that left one of his own dogs dead is speaking out.

"I'm a pretty big guy," Brent Brownlee tells CTV News. "I played rugby and football and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't save my dog."

The attack happened Saturday morning while Brownlee was walking his miniature dachshunds - Bella and Charlie - near 69 St. & 158A Ave. in northeast Edmonton.

Brownlee said a pit bull sitting loose in a neighbour's yard lunged at Charlie, biting him several times. Brownlee said he tried to break the dog's hold on his pet, but was unsuccessful and was bitten himself on his head, cheek and hands. Charlie was put down in the hours after the attack. Bella was not injured.

Keith Scott, with the city's animal control department, confirmed the animal, believed to be a brindle pit bull, had been missing from its owner's home in the area since 4 a.m. Saturday, but had not been reported missing.

"We've made contact with the owner and the animal control officer is just currently getting all the information from the medical files from the victim as well as obtaining any history," Scott says.

Scott cautions the public to remember pit bulls are not necessarily violent.

"One of the things that we want to make sure that we get across is that it's not always the breed," Scott says. "It's the responsible pet ownership, it's being able to control the dog."

It is believed the dog is now back at its owner's home. It is not known if the pit bull in Saturday's attack had been deemed a restricted dog.

There are about 300 restricted dogs registered in Edmonton, about 200 of which are pit bulls. The others are dogs of other breeds that have chased, bitten or been labeled as restricted for other reasons.

When outside, restricted dogs must be muzzled and on a leash. When in a yard, restricted dogs must be chained up or caged.

Brownlee's wife. Carol, argues more should be done to protect people and pets from other animals.

"There's a reason these bylaws have been put in place," she says. "But if we can't patrol it, we need to ban the breed from being in the city."