A pit bull breeder in California has fatally been attacked by the dogs he was raising, authorities have reported.
The 35-year-old man’s lifeless body was discovered in a kennel in the backyard of his Compton residence around 7 a.m. on Friday after a concerned friend visited, as reported by KTLA.
Following a review of surveillance videos from the property’s cameras, investigators determined that the dog attack occurred between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday.
Michael Gomez from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department stated, “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.”
Aerial footage from KTLA revealed a substantial breeding operation for large dogs in the yard. The man’s body was found inside one of the kennels.
According to CBS News, there were 13 dogs on the property, including five adults and several puppies.
“Preliminary information suggests that the deceased individual was involved in breeding and selling Pitbulls,” stated animal control officials. The breeder, who lived alone, succumbed to his injuries.
His father authorized the transfer of the dogs to Animal Care & Control for impoundment and examination.
No additional injuries were reported.