VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The dogs that attacked and killed an 8-year-old boy in Volusia County earlier this month were euthanized Thursday, a county official told our Orlando station, WFTV.
Michael Millett, 8, was riding his bike with a friend near DeLand on Jan. 13 when he reportedly stopped to pet the dogs before being brutally attacked and killed, investigators said. The animals were described as a pit bull and a mixed breed dog.
Read: ‘They’re literally tugging on him’ | Details released in deadly dog attack that killed Florida boy
The tragedy sparked community outrage and calls for justice.
Since there were reportedly no prior incidents involving these particular dogs, a state-mandated 10 business-day period began after the attack allowing the owner of the dogs to either appeal or relinquish ownership.
That period has since expired, and Volusia County confirmed that it continued with the euthanasia since no appeal was filed.
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As of now, the owner of the dogs, Amanda Franco, has not been charged. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood has said that he wants to change that.
Chitwood told WFTV Wednesday that before charges can be filed with the State Attorney’s Office, they need to get DNA evidence back from the dogs. Chitwood continue to say, with laws the way they are, it may be difficult to charge the owner with anything more than a misdemeanor.
The victim’s family has set up a GoFundMe HERE.
An investigation by Action News Jax last year found a recent increase in aggressive dog attacks in locally in Northeast Florida.
Volusia County says it’s now engaged with experts from Harvard University to further research aggressive behaviors in dogs. This will involve sending forensic evidence from this case to the school’s Canine Brain Research Group. The hope is that the research will help protect the public from similar incidents in the future.
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