BELL COUNTY, Ky. (WATE) – The owner of the two pit bulls that attacked a woman and her husband in Bell County, Kentucky, has been charged with harboring a vicious animal.

The owner was identified as Johnny Lankford, 42.

His charges come after police say Lorraine Saylor was killed by the dogs as she was putting out bird seed at her home in Arjay.

Her husband, John Saylor, heard the commotion and ran outside. He was also attacked by the dogs, but his brother was able to distract them long enough for him to run inside and get his gun.

He shot and killed one of the dogs, but a second dog ran off.

The pit bull returned to its owner’s home Monday. It was injured from gunfire. The Bell County Sheriff’s Department and Animal Control put the dog down.

At the time of the attack, Lankford was already being held in the Bell County Detention Center on charges including domestic violence and unlawful imprisonment from an incident Friday, Dec. 22.