CLEVELAND -- A Cleveland postal worker recovering from a dog attack shared his experience, NewsChannel5 reported.

Jack Smith was mauled last week by a pit bull on his route.

From his hospital bed, he said his experience should lead to a crackdown on people with vicious dogs.

Mailman Talks About Being Attacked By Dog

Smith was on East 77th Street Wednesday at about 2:30 p.m. delivering mail when, he said, a 100-pound pit bull snapped its chain and went after him.

He said he followed procedures and he emptied his Mace on the dog and he shielded his chest with his mailbag. But the dog lunged a third time, and the mailbag hit the ground. Then, Smith went toe-to-toe with the dog for seven to eight minutes, NewsChannel5 reported.

The dog bit and locked in on his left arm.

"It broke my left arm at that time. After that, it bit into my chest and my right arm and took about a 3-by-6 (inch) chunk out of my forearm in my right arm," Smith said.

The mail carrier said he thought he was going to die, but he knew in order for him to live, he must do one thing -- not fall down.

"I tried to stay on my feet. I made sure I stayed on my feet because I knew if I had gone on the ground he would get my neck and I wouldn't be here speaking," he said.

Smith has already had two surgeries, and he faces countless hours of physical therapy. He doesn't know if he'll have full use of his arms again.

He fears if it would had been a child or someone who tried to run away, the mauling would have been deadly.