A 3-year-old Minnesota boy attacked by pit bulls is not expected to survive

BROOKLYN PARK, Minnesota — A 3-year-old Minnesota boy who was attacked by two pit bulls last week is not expected to survive, his family said.

Covil Allen’s parents prepare their son for organ donation, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Friday. An online campaign is raising money to help Covil’s parents with expenses related to the July 19 attack in the backyard of a home.

A search warrant obtained by WCCO-TV said Covil’s family was at a home in Brooklyn Park where dogs were being sold. Police said they believed the child’s parents were there to buy a dog.

When the dogs began attacking Covil, adults “began to defend the 3-year-old by using hammers and picks to drive the dogs away,” the warrant said.

Officers arrived to find the dogs attacking the child and shot both animals, police said. One dog was killed and the other was taken to a veterinary clinic and euthanized.

The fundraising post stated that Covil’s mother had also been bitten, in her leg, and had undergone multiple surgeries.

Police said they were still investigating the attack on Covil and another dog bite incident on Tuesday, when a 7-year-old girl was attacked by a loose dog. She was not seriously injured. Officers killed the dog when it then tried to attack a boy, police said.

According to Brooklyn Park Police Lieutenant Elliot Faust, extensive discussions are currently underway with city leaders and elected officials about dog attacks.