Officials said the five dogs that attacked and killed a 14-year-old Massachusetts boy will be euthanized. The boy had regularly taken care of the animals.
Scott Dunmore, 49, who trained the animal, didn’t contest the decision to put them down.
He added that “we’re a small town with a big heart, and that’s not just a slogan.” He added, “You people have shown me how important it is that when something like this happens that we unite and we try to help each other, so I just want to thank all the people in town for all the work that they’ve done.”
Officials have not identified the specific dog or dogs responsible for the boy’s death, according to MassLive.
Hazel had been taking care of the dogs for about a year. He went to the property to do some chores before he was attacked.
The boy’s grandmother waited in the driveway as he did the chores. But when he didn’t come back for an hour, she called his parents and they had a neighbor check on him.
Hazel was found in the backyard with a number of injuries as four dogs roamed the property, seven were caged, and one dog had escaped, the report said.
“At a young age, Ryan knew he wanted to be work in the medical field and was enrolled in the community health program at Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School where he played football and ran track and field,” his obituary read. “Prior to High School, he played football for Dighton-Rehoboth Pop Warner, baseball for Dighton Little League, and wrestling. He enjoyed riding horses and his ATV.”
Neighbors, earlier this month, said they had seen some of the dogs walking around the neighborhood.
“Last night we had a tragic situation happen in town here where a young teenage boy lost his life. Things like that should never happen to anybody, never mind a 14-year-old boy,” said Dighton Police Chief Robert MacDonald in the report. “It’s a very, very sad thing.”