7-year-old boy attacked and killed by pack of nine dogs, Alabama cops say
Nine dogs have been euthanized in connection with the killing of a 7-year-old boy in Alabama, according to investigators.
The pack included multiple breeds, some weighing up to 60 pounds, and their remains are being sent for “testing as part of the investigation,” the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release posted to Facebook.
Investigators say the boy was attacked around 6 p.m. July 22 as he rode a four-wheeler, and his grandmother was bitten trying to save him. Details of her injuries were not released.
“The owner of the dogs is cooperating fully,” the sheriff’s office said. “These animals were not stray dogs; they belonged to a local resident and were kept on private property prior to the incident.”
The attack happened on a sparsely populated dirt road near Calera, about a 35-mile drive south from Birmingham, officials say.
The boy has been identified as Noah Burnett by WBRC, which reports his grandmother was hospitalized with multiple bites but is expected to recover.
A fundraiser for the boy’s parents says he was “the life of the party, and he was always dirty; he loved being outside and playing in the dirt.”
“Our hearts are broken for the child and the family affected by this unimaginable loss,” Chilton County Sheriff John Shearon said in the news release. “We are fully committed to a thorough investigation to determine how this tragedy occurred.”
The owner of the dogs lives on the same property as the child’s family, WIAT reports.
The dogs “humanely euthanized” as part of the investigation:
- 6-month-old male shepherd mix, 34.2 pounds
- 6-month-old male pit bull terrier mix, 31.5 pounds
- 6-month-old male shepherd mix, 26.4 pounds
- 1½-year-old female lab mix, 24.6 pounds
- 2-year-old male hound mix, 36.4 pounds
- 6-month-old female lab mix, 28.4 pounds
- 6-month-old female pit bull terrier mix, 23.6 pounds
- 3-year-old female pit bull terrier/Akita mix, 60.2 pounds
- 2½-year-old male shepherd mix, 48.4 pounds
This story was originally published July 25, 2025 at 12:47 PM.