Owners cited, animals euthanized after boy is attacked and killed by pack of dogs
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FORT HALL — A boy is dead after being mauled by a pack of dogs and his mother is recovering at the hospital.
The attack happened Saturday at a residence on Sandy Road in Fort Hall around 5:30 p.m. Emily Islas and her seven-year-old child were staying in an RV on the property when he went outside and did not return, Sho-Ban News reports.
“His mother went looking for him (and) found him lying face down with the dogs mauling him in the front porch area,” according to the publication.
A news release from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes says the boy was unconscious when Fort Hall Police arrived.
Bannock County Coroner Torey Danner tells EastIdahoNews.com Islas tried to protect the boy when the four dogs began attacking her.
Emergency responders were called and the child and Islas were rushed to Portneuf Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Islas required emergency surgery and remains in the hospital.
Two of the four dogs involved in the attack were Rottweilers and the other two were mixed breeds, according to the Tribes. Their owners, Benjamin Dominick Wolfchild and Juliana Wolfchild, were not home at the time of the attack but were issued citations for 15 violations including vicious animal attack, rabies vaccination and over the limit of canine or feline pets.
All of the dogs were killed by Fort Hall police and the Fort Hall Game Warden.
Fort Hall Police are investigating the incident and will be submitting the case to the United States Attorney for review.
“The Fort Hall Business Council would like to offer their sincere condolences to the family of the young man who lost his life in this tragic incident,” Donna Thompson, Vice Chairperson of the Fort Hall Business Council says in a news release. “We would like to ask the public to respect the privacy of the family at this time.”
The FHBC is grateful to first responders and other agencies for their quick response.
The Business Council is reminding homeowners that individual dog owners must comply with the Animal Control Ordinance. Copies of the approved Animal Control Ordinance are available at the Administration Office inside the Tribal Business Center in Fort Hall.