The other dogs, both chihuahuas, were bit, and one suffered spinal damage, but both are said to be ok.
The owner of the dogs that allegedly started the attack, Steve Kirk, says his dogs were not vicious, but could be protective at home.
He says the two American Staffordshire Terriers had escaped from his backyard before, but he never thought anything like this would happen.
Brittany Frias says her husband first saw the attack taking place in her backyard Saturday.
"I wasn't just scared for the dogs, I was scared they would jump out at us," Frias says.
The owner of chihuahuas Poncho and Poncha says all she could do was watch and call 911.
"They started to attack the other dog and we knew they had already gotten one of them," Frias recalls. "I don't think I've been that intimidated ever."
According to a police report, the officers tried to stop the attack.
Police Chief Rick Witthuhn says the dogs posed a threat and when that happens, the protocol is to shoot.
"When they got there, the dogs attacked the smaller dogs again. They lunged at the officer at which that time the officer felt they needed to be put down," states Witthuhn.
"I'm sick to my stomach," says owner Steve Kirk who was at work at the time of the attack.
"I heard these people talking about them and I asked if they saw my dogs and said they were down the street and the police shot them," says Kirk.
He says Sassy and Dozer were show dogs, but adds Sassy could live up to her name.
"I'm not denying that's what she did and she done it [the attack], but even her mom didn't like other dogs," Kirk says.
But he says Dozer was a very good dog and wouldn't attack.
"I do feel bad, but I ended up losing 2 dogs and I shouldn't have. They shouldn't have shot them, that's the bottom line," says Kirk.
Frias says if it wasn't for police, her dogs might not be running around her yard today.
And she believes if it wasn't her dogs, it could have been someone else's.
"If they were going to do that and be that aggressive to us, they were going to do it again, I'm sure," Frias states.
According to Chief Whittuhn, there are prior reports saying the dogs had tried to attack people and other dogs.
He adds the dogs were on special watch by the vet.
Kirk says his vet will agree with him that they were not vicious in nature.
The city of Aurora does have a vicious dog ordinance.
It says a dog can be considered vicious if it attacks another dog or person, bites anyone, or if it causes someone to have reasonable fear the dog will injure them.
If a dog is declared vicious by a judge, it must be registered and the owner must pay a $50 annual fee.
(KSPR - Jan 9, 2012)
