The dog authorities said attacked an 8-year-old Johnston County girl last week has been put to sleep, according to its owner."My dog is dead," said David Speckhardt Jr. "My dog is dead and I'm very upset about that."

Speckhardt said he had no other choice but to surrender the dog to Johnston County Animal Control officials. The dog had been quarantined following the attack.

At first, Speckhardt thought he could keep the dog, if he built a four-walled pin with a concrete floor. But, the law says that since he lives in Selma town limits, he cannot keep the "vicious dog" even if he is caged in.

Speckhardt, whose children are friends with the girl who was bitten, said he regrets the attack.

He said he bought the Mastiff mix to protect his family and that he has posted several "Beware of Dog" and "No Trespassing" signs.

Speckhardt also said many of the neighborhood children, including another 14-year-old who was bitten by his dog earlier this year, often cut through his yard. He added that on the day the girl was bitten, she missed the bus and was in his yard asking for a ride to school, when she kicked the dog.

"I can't take that back, I wish I could. I wish it would have never happened," he said. "But you can't fault the dog for being a dog."

Tiffany Williams, the mother of the child attacked by the dog said this is not the way she wanted her daughter to start off her summer vacation.

"By me being a mom and my baby being attacked is just kind of scary," said Williams.

According to Williams, her daughter was bitten four times when she entered a neighbor's yard on her way to the bus stop on June 11.

"I mean it really traumatized her. I mean by a dog attacking you from behind I know she was terrified," added Williams.

According to the police report filed by Williams, the dog's owner took the girl inside his house, made her change her clothes and told her "just to go to school," Capt. Cooper said. Williams thinks the owner was trying to cover it up.

Speckhardt claims that he tried to contact the girl's mother, but that she was not home. He also said he drove the girl to Selma Elementary School, where he is the vice-president of the Parent Teacher Association.

Speckhardt said he told school officials and police what happened and that he sought treatment for her at the school.

The mother said she is pressing charges against the dog owner. As of June 23, no criminal charges have been filed against Speckhardt.