Judge Needs More Time to Decide Life or Death for Dog Who Attacked Child

SANTA ANA — The fate of a dog named Boo, impounded since mauling a neighbor boy in December, remained in question Tuesday as a judge said he needed more time before deciding if the animal should live or die.

During a hearing, Orange County Superior Court Judge Tully H. Seymour sought more information about potential alternatives to euthanasia before taking the case under submission for a decision.

The dog’s owners, Stephen and Monika Williams, are seeking a court order preventing Orange County Animal Control from destroying the 140-pound bull mastiff, the first time a family has challenged in court such a decision by the agency.

Boo has been sitting at the pound since officials learned of the Dec. 26 attack at the Williams’ Yorba Linda home, which left 7-year-old Zach Anderson with scrapes and punctures over 40% of his back and with head wounds requiring 60 stitches and 30 staples.

The family maintains that the dog is not vicious and was reacting to a perceived stranger in his territory. They’ve offered to move, build a secured yard for their dog and turn Boo over to a dog trainer until they learn how to better control the animal.

Animal control officials, in two separate administrative hearings, have decided that destroying Boo is the only reasonable means to protect the public.

The agency’s director, Judy Maitlen, has described the boy’s injuries as the most serious she has seen in an unprovoked dog attack.

The boy, who has since recovered, had been invited to the Williams’ home and was walking toward a back door when the dog pounced on him, authorities said.