FORT HALL, Idaho — A young boy was killed after being attacked by four dogs in Fort Hall on Saturday. His mother was critically injured and the dogs' owners have been cited with 15 tribal violations.
A media release from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes says Fort Hall Police were dispatched to a home on Sandy Road shortly before 6:00 p.m. on January 21. A caller reported the boy was unconscious after being attacked by multiple dogs.
Two non-tribal victims involved, a mother and son, were taken to the Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, according to the release.
The four dogs involved in the attack, two rottweilers and two mixed breeds, were euthanized by tribal authorities after the attack. The dogs' owners are also non-tribal members who own the property where the attacks occurred.
A GoFundMe Account created to support the surviving mother says they lived at the home where the attack happened.
"I know Emily, and I know she did everything in her power to protect Kellan from that attack," the post said. "She is an amazing woman and mother and sacrificed herself to try and save her little boy."
As of Wednesday morning, the account had raised more than $15,000.
The fundraiser description says "Emily was rushed to emergency surgery and is still in the ICU trying to recover from the damage that the dogs did to her." It claims the mother sustained nerve damage and a ruptured artery in her right arm as well as damage to the back of her head, left arm, and her back.
The dog owners were cited for 15 violations of the Tribes’ Animal Ordinance including Vicious Animal Attack, Rabies Vaccination, and Over the Limit of Canine or Feline Pets, according to the release.
"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," Fort Hall Business Council Vice Chair Donna Thompson stated. “We would like to ask the public to respect the privacy of the family at this time.”
Fort Hall Criminal Investigators, the FBI, Fort Hall Police, and Fish & Game are conducting an ongoing investigation. This case will be submitted to the United States Attorney to review for potential federal charges.
