Compton, California man mauled to death in fatal pit bull attack by 13 dogs during feeding. Los Angeles area man thought to have been breeding the dogs before they turned on him.
A 35 year old Los Angeles area dog owner, believed to be breeding pit bulls was mauled to death Friday morning by a pack of 13 dogs in his backyard in a fatal dog attack.
LAPD officers were called to the home on the 900 block of Thorson Avenue, Compton, at 7am on Friday after a concerned friend went to the house and discovered the victim’s body.
It is thought the dog breeder was mauled upon going into the yard to feed the dogs on Thursday night when a fight broke out between the animals, before turning on him.
Victim believed to be breeding and selling pit bull dogs
Helicopter footage showed the victim’s bloodied body lying face down in one of the enclosures in his yard while five adult pitbulls and eight puppies ran around and fought.
The man’s identity has not yet been released, but neighbors told CX he was a 35-year-old man who lived alone.
His friend called police early on Friday saying ‘her friend was seen in the backyard and appeared to have been mauled by his dog’.
Police, firemen and animal control then descended on the house, climbing over the roof to get to the yard and round up the dogs.
They found five adults and eight puppies – aged between four and six months – and corralled them into a neighboring yard to get to the man’s body.
The man is thought to have been breeding and selling pit bulls on account on the number of animals found on the property. It remained unclear if the man had a legal breeding permit.
‘Impoundment and examination’
Meanwhile a woman, believed to be the breeder’s girlfriend, who had somehow entered the yard before herself being set upon, was filmed desperately climbing up a wall and had to be helped by firefighters.
Michael Gomez with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau told KTLA5: ‘He was feeding the dogs at which point maybe there was an altercation between some of the dogs and [they] ultimately attacked and mauled the victim.’
L.A. County’s Animal Care & Control said: ‘Preliminary information suggests that the deceased individual was involved in breeding and selling Pitbulls.’
The victim’s father has now signed the dogs over to animal control for ‘impoundment and examination’.
DACC Director Marcia Mayeda told KTLA5: ‘Our deepest sympathies are extended to the family and friends of the victim.
‘We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to determine the facts and ensure the safety and well-being of both the community and the animals involved.’
Dog breeding laws in California
Damian Wesley with Compton Animal Rescue told the outlet: ‘I hope that awareness is spread… that people need to take great care of their dogs.
‘People need to understand that these dogs can kill somebody and hurt people.’
There were no previous reports of the dogs attacking people, but one neighbor told Fox News that a few of the dogs had gotten out and attacked his chickens before.
Many California cities have passed ordinances banning the ownership of unneutered or unspayed pit bulls. Compton is not among them.
California does not have any statewide breed-specific dog bans.
