Dog That Attacked Boy to Be Released

A 140-pound bull mastiff spared after attacking a 7-year-old Yorba Linda boy last December will soon be released from the pound, but only after its owners meet requirements of a strict animal control plan a judge on Tuesday declined to ease.

Stephen and Monica Williams objected strongly to provisions in an 11-point release plan requiring their dog, named Boo, to be muzzled in its own backyard. Boo can be free of a muzzle in a kennel, with a trainer, or in the presence of its owners inside their home.

Superior Court Judge Tully H. Seymour, following a brief hearing over the release plan, said that the provisions were not unreasonable and that he did not want to “micro-manage” animal control officials.

The legal saga over Boo’s fate began in late December after the dog injured Zach Anderson Jr., a next-door neighbor. Zach, who has since recovered from his injuries, had been invited to the Williamses’ home and was following their 12-year-old son through the backyard patio when Boo pounced.

Animal control officials, citing the severity of the boy’s injuries, decided to destroy the dog, impounded since the attack. But the couple sued in Orange County Superior Court to save the animal.

In sparing Boo, Seymour told county officials to come up with a plan to control the animal.

Other provisions in the plan require the family to carry a $100,000 liability insurance policy and to pay the county about $1,400 for housing the dog throughout the dispute.

Monica Williams said she hopes Boo will be released by the end of the week to live temporarily under the care of a trainer at a kennel.