A 74-year-old Lincoln Heights man was critically injured Thursday after he was attacked by two pit bulls who mauled his Pomeranian to death during a neighborhood walk, officials said.

The mauling occurred about 5:44 p.m. in the 2600 block of North Lincoln Park Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The man, whose family identified him as Valentin Herrera, was walking his 5-year-old dog named Dodger without a leash when the pit bulls attacked, KTLA-TV reported.

The dogs pounced on Dodger, killing it. As Herrera looked for help, the dogs attacked him, the television news station reported.


Neighbors saw the attack and immediately called 911.

An animal control officer took the dogs to a Los Angeles area shelter.

The unlicensed dogs will be in quarantine for at least 10 days, according to Brenda Barnette, general manager for Los Angeles Animal Services. Authorities will hold a meeting to determine the dogs’ fate.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com


Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA