A Yorkshire terrier is dead after a pit bull attacked it and bit the man who was caring for it last Friday.

Mary McGrane of Maple Grove, Minn., said her father, Donald Peterson, of Austin, was walking her Yorkshire terrier on Friday when a pit bull charged out of a front door on 10th Avenue NE in Austin and attacked the 3-pound, 3-year-old yorkie.

According to Austin Police Cpt. Dave McKichan, a community service officer responded to the attack at about 10:40 a.m. on Friday. While attempting to defend the yorkie, Peterson received multiple puncture wounds to his hands and later received medical attention.

Peterson immediately took the yorkie to the vet before speaking with any officers.

“I just never want to see anything like that again,” Peterson said about the pit bull viciously shaking the yorkie.

Veterinarians performed surgery on the yorkie shortly after it was attacked; however, McGrane said her dog was dead by the time she arrived from Maple Grove. McGrane said she and her father were distraught over the weekend, as the yorkie was like part of the family.

“When I walked in, the vet showed him to me in the surgery room at the Austin Vet Clinic, and it was just horrendous to see,” McGrane said. “All of his ribs were broken, and his stomach was punctured.”

McKichan said officers are keeping the pit bull in a pound and reviewing its behavior for two weeks before making any further decisions. He added that it appears the attack was unprovoked. The police report has been given to the city attorney’s office, and the pit bull’s owner is pending formal charges. McKichan could not comment on what may happen to the pit bull. McGrane said she plans to file a lawsuit against the owner of the pit bull, as she had to immediately pay for the vet bill, and Peterson incurred $1,094 in medical bills. The Herald could not reach the owner of the pit bull on Monday for comment.