Humane Society confirms the dogs were signed over and will be put down following the fatal attack in Mira Mesa.
Officials from the San Diego Humane Society announced Sunday that three XL bully dogs involved in the fatal mauling of their owner in Mira Mesa on Friday afternoon will be humanely euthanized.
The deadly attack occurred around noon at Mesa Viking Neighborhood Park, where the large and powerful dogs turned on their owner, leading horrified witnesses to call 911. San Diego police arrived to find the man being savaged by the dogs.
Bystanders attempted to stop the attack, striking the animals with shovels and possibly a golf club found at the scene, according to police. The assault ended only after an officer deployed a Taser, causing the dogs to flee.
Two of the dogs were quickly captured, but the third remained loose, triggering a temporary lockdown at nearby Ericson Elementary School. Authorities later located the missing dog at the owner’s nearby residence.
Humane Law Enforcement Officers, called in urgently by San Diego police, took custody of all three dogs. The animals were placed under mandatory bite quarantine following the incident.
A second individual, who tried to intervene during the attack, sustained severe bite wounds. That person was treated at a hospital and is expected to recover.
The dogs were later relinquished to the Humane Society by a second owner, who consented to their euthanasia.
“Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the victim’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” a Humane Society spokesperson said.
The organization confirmed the dogs had no prior history with the Humane Society and no record of aggression before the attack.
