SEATTLE -- A neighborhood is reeling after two pit bulls viciously attacked a man and his 2-year-old dog.

Bob Walston said he and his dog, Maggie, were taken by surprise by the pit bulls while they were out walking on Tuesday morning. He said there was no owner in sight.

"Those pits we're going so fast, and they just grabbed Maggie. And I started screaming, 'help help, someone help' as loud as I could," he said.

Bob grabbed Maggie to try to save her, but he said the pit bulls refused to give up, biting him as he tried to get away.

"Bob comes rushing through the door, and he's bloody from head to toe," said Lillian Walston, his wife.

Bob got away in time, but it was too late for Maggie, who died shortly after the attack.

Now her dog toys sit, untouched, as flowers from the neighbors crowd the Walstons' counter.

Bob and Lillian are still trying to say goodbye to Maggie, who has been laid to rest in the backyard. Even though they're filled with sadness over Maggie's death, the couple says the attack could have been much worse.

"We were lucky in that it wasn't one of the grandchildren that were killed. These were two fierce dogs. They would have mauled our grandchildren to death," Lillian said.

Following the attack, neighbors caught one pit bull immediately and the Seattle Animal Shelter picked up the other one on Wednesday. Bob and other witnesses identified the dogs, but the pit bulls' likely fate does little to ease the Walstons' new fears.

"It changed our whole life. It'll never be the same," Lillian said.

But Don Jordan with the shelter said measures will be taken to prevent future tragedies.

"The city is going to make every effort to make sure that these animals are not returned into the neighborhood and are, in fact, destroyed," he said.

The owners of the quarantined dogs face fines of up to $1,000 for letting his pit bulls run loose.