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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- A state senator, whose dog narrowly survived a pit bull attack, wants answers after he says the same pit bull was back in his neighborhood.

"I will never be able to forget the screams and yelps I heard," says Nevada State Sen. Mark Manendo. "I'll go to the grave with that memory. I'm scarred for life."

Senator Manendo was on a walk with his Beagle, Carson, last Tuesday afternoon when a pit bull came running toward them.

"The dog came out of nowhere and went right for Carson," he says. "It was horrible. I literally just dove on top of the pit bull and put it in a head lock. I was fighting for my dog's life."

Manendo was able to stop the attack before it was too late. His bloody clothes serve as a chilling reminder. Luckily, except for some scrapes, Manendo wasn't injured.

But Carson was seriously hurt. The dog had to undergo surgery and still has a long road to recovery.

"The scars aren't just physical," Manendo says. "Carson is not eating right, or sleeping through the night. He's constantly scared and nervous."

Manendo has also been having having nightmares, and flashbacks of the attack.

"Seeing the pit bull again made it worse," he says. "I saw it Saturday night on the same patio it first attacked us from. When the owners saw me, they brought the dog in and turned off the lights. Then the dog was gone again on Sunday."

The pit bull that attacked hasn't been quarantined. Manendo says the pit bull's owner took the dog away before Animal Control got there. He believes they're hiding the dog somewhere else, in fear of the repercussions.

"When the attack was happening, they didn't do anything to stop it," he says. "They haven't once apologized."

Action News tried getting in touch with the pit bull's owners. They were home but would not come to the door.

"At some point in time, they're going to need to step forward and take responsibility and turn that dog over," Manendo says.

More owner accountability is exactly what animal activists are pushing for.

"Attacks like this are happening too often," says Gina Greisen with Nevada Voters for Animals. "Pet owners need to make sure they can control, properly train, and socialize their animal. Whether at the county or state level, we plan to address this issue, to hold pet owners more responsible."

Manendo and Carson have received thousands of calls, e-mails, and Facebook messages of support from people all over the country touched by their story.