Dog breeder mauled to death by pit bulls in his backyard

Another tragedy struck the pit bull aficionado community after a breeder was found to have been killed by his own dogs.

According to the New York Post, a 35-year-old breeder's dog-ravaged body was found in one of his kennels by one of his friends at his Compton, California residence, sending shock waves through the neighborhood.

Police reviewed surveillance footage from around his residence and confirmed the horrific attack occurred Tuesday evening.

Michael Gomez with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department described what they were able to deduce from the video footage.

"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," Gomez told reporters.

The NY Post noted:

The footage appeared to show a huge breeding operation for large dogs in the yard.

Investigators told CBS News there were 13 dogs at the home, five of which were adults while the rest were puppies.

Animal control officials also released a statement, saying, "Preliminary information suggests that the deceased individual was involved in breeding and selling Pitbulls."

Man mauled to death by pit bulls in Compton https://t.co/fgxElJWIBS pic.twitter.com/biL4w8odfW

— KTLA (@KTLA) February 16, 2024

Given the breed of the dog, the situation sparked heated debates across social media. Many believe the man was breeding the pit bulls for illegal fights, though it hasn't been confirmed.

"If they behaved like that, he was breeding those pits for a specific purpose. Fighting. He was breeding the to be aggressive and fight," one X user wrote.

Another X user wrote, "You have to be careful with Pit Bulls, they shouldn't be caged up, needs to be raised as a puppy with a loving family. Pit Bulls only attack people when they're caged or being abused, little animals are seen as prey."

Others placed the blame directly on the breed of the animal, with many suggesting that such incidents do not seem to occur with other breeds, such as Golden Retrievers.

"No one was ever mauled to death by Golden Retrievers. If I'm out for a walk and see one of those walking my way I do a quick U-Turn," one X user wrote.

As of this writing, authorities haven't released the name of the deceased individual.