Thai teen boy mauled to death by brother’s 2 American Bully dogs

BANGKOK – The 18-year-old brother of a Thai owner of three American bully dogs was mauled to death by two of the canines on Aug 30 in Lopburi’s Muang district.

Tha Hin Police Station was informed on Aug 31 that Adisak Chansakunnee, 18, had been mauled to death on the ground floor of his home. A doctor estimated that his body was found by the police some 12 hours after the death.

The two dogs, Fino and Tesla, belong to his brother Apisit Chansakunnee, a police officer who had raised them in Bangkok. He had moved to his home in Lopburi about 150km northeast of the Thai capital a week earlier with the dogs to take care of his mother.

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Tank Gas, the mother of Fino and Tesla, was also in the house and was found with injuries on its leg. Mr Apisit told Thai daily Khaosod she had tried to defend Adisak but was overpowered by her two offspring.

After moving to Lopburi, Mr Apisit locked the three dogs together in his bedroom on the second floor.

Police said footage from a security camera in the house showed Adisak, who was home alone on Aug 30 night, walking upstairs to his brother’s bedroom to play with the three dogs. The footage then shows him being attacked by the dogs before he flees downstairs where he was found dead.

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On Sept 1, Mr Apisit said the first dog belonged to his father, who bred it to have a litter of puppies. The dog delivered two male puppies, who he raised in Bangkok before returning home just one week before the mauling.

Mr Apisit said he had his brother feed the three dogs when he went to work, and the young boy had started to become familiar with the two male dogs.

He said that he believes Adisak tried to play with the two young dogs without knowing how to do so safely. Also, he reckoned the two dogs may have been under stress as he was not at home.

Outrage over killer mutts

Tank Gas, which had been raised by the brothers’ father in Lopburi, and her two offspring have been put up for adoption as they remind the family of the tragedy, Mr Apisit has said.

A Watchdog Thailand Foundation (WDT) Facebook post seeking new homes for the three American bully dogs sparked a furore among netizens when they discovered that they were the dogs that killed Adisak.

The WDT published the Facebook post on Aug 31, shortly after the teenager’s death was reported.

The original Facebook post said the owner’s family were sad and could not make up their minds, so they decided to give the dogs to a person who would take care of them and not use them for business purposes. The post did not mention the tragic incident.

On Sept 1, the WDT removed the initial post and reposted the same words with a picture of the three dogs.

When many Facebook users asked why WDT chose not to mention that these dogs had killed the owner’s brother, meaning the new owner could be aware of the possible danger, the foundation only responded by saying those interested must contact the dogs’ owner.

Several other Facebook users said the dogs should be put down as they had tasted human blood and could no longer be tamed as they had become predators.

Mr Apisit said some dog lovers had already called to inquire about adopting the mutts but he had yet to select the right person.

The American Bully breed has previously been involved in fatal incidents, one of which led to it being banned in Britain in 2023.

The dog, a mix of breeds including Pitbulls, American Staffordshire Terriers, and English Bull Terriers, are not allowed in Singapore, according to the National Parks Board’s Animal and Veterinary Service.

Just over a month ago on July 24, three other American Bully dogs also fatally attacked a 70-year-old man on the street in front of a house in north-east Thailand’s Khon Kaen province, Khaosod reported.

Those three dogs were also given up for adoption.