Man killed by neighbor’s dogs trying to protect his poodle

A Houston man was mauled to death by his neighbor’s dogs Wednesday while trying to save his small poodle from being attacked, police said.

Officers responded to a home in the 5500 block of Sheraton Oaks Drive around 4 p.m. to find the victim on the ground being chewed on by one of the dogs, according to Houston police Lt. Larry Crowson.

Police said the dog charged at them, prompting one of the cops to open fire.

A bullet struck the canine, but it survived and ran off, reported the station KTRK.

The victim, described as a 69-year-old man, was pronounced dead from his injuries at the scene.

Investigators have learned that the victim heard a commotion in his yard, walked outside to see what was happening and saw that his neighbor’s three dogs had gotten through the fence, and two of them were attacking his pet poodle.

The dog owner stepped in to try to separate the fighting animals, but the neighbor’s dogs turned on him and got him on the ground.

The victim has not been named yet, but people in the neighborhood told the station Click2Houston that he appeared to be physically disabled.

The breeds of the dogs involved in the fatal mauling have not been disclosed as of Thursday.

Both dogs were taken away by Animal Control. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office will determine if the owner of the animals will face criminal charges.