Police say a local girl is in serious condition at Bridgeport Hospital after being mauled by a pit bull her family was watching for a friend.

The girl lives in a home on the 200 block of Pearl Harbor Street.

News 12 Connecticut spoke exclusively with the little girl's father, who says the attack started inside of his house and ended up in the front yard, where an adult finally pulled the girl and dog apart.

Alberto Rodriguez says Glaribel, 10, is recovering at the hospital after undergoing extensive plastic surgery Thursday morning to her face, leg, and abdomen.

Police say the 70-pound pit bull started by attacking a 7-year-old boy, a friend of Glaribel's, while the children were playing with the animal.

Rodriguez says he believes it was the boy who provoked the attack.

“One of the kids hit the dog in the face and that's why [the dog] got really aggravated,” says Rodriguez.

Police say the dog began attacking the girl when she tried to rescue the boy.

Police say the pit bull was not vaccinated, so it's under a 14-day quarantine. Glaribel could end up needing treatment for rabies.

Police Chief AJ Perez says the pit bull will have to be euthanized because an animal can only be tested for rabies after it is dead.

In spite of the plastic surgery, Rodriguez says his daughter will have scars but is otherwise expected to make a full recovery.