A Casselberry couple said their 8-year-old daschund is dead after a violent attack by a pit bull.

Gabe Quinones said his wife Ellen was walking their dog Spike at the corner of Griggs Avenue and Button Road at about 5 p.m. Thursday. A unknown pit bull, who was loose, lunged at Ellen and Spike. She tried to pull the pit bull off Spike, but it bit her. When a neighbor grabbed the pit bull by its choke collar and pulled it off Spike and Ellen, the pit bull ran away, Quinones said.

Despite undergoing surgery, Spike died Friday morning. "He was just way too battered," Quinones said.

Casselberry police confirmed that the attack occurred, but could not provide further details Sunday. The animal control officer reportedly involved in the call was not available for comment Sunday.

Gabe Quinones said that his wife sustained two dog bites on her hands, and scratches on her arms and knee. He said the pit bull was about 80 pounds and was brown with a white head. The dog was wearing a blue collar with blue and yellow identification tags and a silver choke collar. Quinones said Saturday he did not know if the dog was vaccinated against rabies, or if it had been caught.

"We're trying to get the message out to the neighborhoods in Casselberry and Longwood because there are a lot of kids and other animals that live there and we don't want to have this happen to someone else," he said. "We want the owner to step forward and take responsibility for what his animal did."