Dion Bush Battle Lake Minnesota 14 year old teen mauled to death by German Shepherd dog at farm where his family bred large dogs. Mother found to have no license.
A 14-year-old teen boy has been mauled to death by a long-haired German Shepherd at the Minnesota farm where his family breeds and raises the large dogs.
Deputies with the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office identified Dion Bush as the deceased teen, whose body was found in the yard of the family’s home on Thursday near Battle Lake, Minn.
According to an incident report released by the sheriff’s office, the attack occurred at around 3pm when the boy went into the yard to tend to the dogs.
Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Lt. Keith Van Dyke said that the boy’s father called authorities to the scene after Dion failed to return home, the Brainerd Dispatch reports.
‘Due to a recent injury, the father was unable, he wasn’t mobile, so he wasn’t able to go and search on his own,’ Otter Tail County Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons said, according to Valley News Live.
What led to dog attacking teen?
When deputies arrived at the scene, they found the 14-year-old boy dead in the yard, and a three-year-old Polish Long Hair Shepherd acting ‘extremely aggressive.’
The dog has since been put down in the interest of public safety and at the request of the family, officials said.
‘We’re still trying to determine what would make the dog do that,’ Fitzgibbons added.
The large property is home to LakeView Shepherds and is operated by the teen’s mother, Jennifer Bush. The dog from the attack had just arrived from Poland less than six months ago, authorities shared.
Sheriff’s Lt. Keith Van Dyke described the family as having ‘nice facilities’ for their dogs.
Importing dogs into the state is regulated by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.
But there was more to come.
Challenging year
‘We don’t have a record of [Jennifer Bush] being licensed as a commercial dog and cat breeder,’ board spokesman Michael Crusan said, the Star Tribune reports.
Dion was a freshman at Battle Lake High School ‘who was just beginning his life,’ Fitzgibbons said.
‘It’s been a very challenging year for everybody, and it’s never easy to have to go to a situation like that. And the holidays just make it that much more tragic,’ he added.
The Battle Lake School district released a letter on Friday sharing that counseling was available for students in grades 7-12 during in-person school days. A memorial will be made for Dion at the school.
