ANATOLIA, CA (MPG) – April 15, 2022, is a day that an Anatolia family will never forget, for all the wrong reasons.

It all began as a normal day for two siblings, a 13-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy. The siblings took their almost 2-year-old male morkie, Lucky, on a walk in their Anatolia neighborhood at 11 A.M. As the siblings walked Lucky through Sandpiper Park, the trio were suddenly confronted by a gray male pit bull. Tragically, the pit bull began to attack Lucky.

“My daughter fought him hard and tried to rescue our puppy by holding him up but (the pit bull) snatched (Lucky) and kept biting him, and he bit her when she was trying to rescue him and he also bit and attacked my son as well,” wrote the mother of the siblings in an email to the Messenger Publishing Group. “The kids tried to find refuge and run from (the pit bull) and he followed and finished our puppy.”

A courageous retired Air Force veteran helped the kids by hitting the pit bull with a trash can, forcing it to run away. The children were able to escape to a nearby neighbor’s house after knocking on their door and the pit bull exited the area.

“We cannot blame them, he was a vicious dog!” the mother exclaimed.

A young lady initially attempted to help the siblings by holding the pit bull back, to no avail, as the dog was too strong for her. The children called their father once reaching shelter.

Unfortunately, by the time he arrived in his car at the park, Lucky was dead. The nearly 2-year-old morkie was officially pronounced dead at the veterinary office. Lucky would’ve turned 2 in July.

The siblings were taken to the emergency room to treat their wounds as the 13-year-old girl was bitten on her thigh, both hands and arms. The 10-year-old boy was bitten on his arm and scratched on his leg. The siblings will now be seeing a therapist and psychiatrist to work through the traumatic event. However, it will not be until September as that was the earliest opening according to their mom.

The owner of the pit bull never came forward. The mother and her neighbors called animal control after spotting the pit bull roaming the Anatolia neighborhood later that night around 3 A.M. The pit bull was picked up by animal control and went under observation for 10 days, beginning on April 15. The owner of the dog did not claim him during the 10-day period, meaning he is now set to be euthanized.

If you know anything about this incident, please contact Sacramento County Animal Care and Regulation at (916) 368-7387.

“We just want justice for our family, for the trauma, for the loss of our puppy, for the injuries of our kids,” the mother wrote. “I hope you help us find justice and help raise awareness towards having dangerous breeds on the loose. It is impacting many people.”