Elderly man eaten alive by four dogs(Photos)

The dogs

Four  dogs dragged an elderly man under a fence and then ate him alive.Michael Downing, 83, was barely recognisable following the horrific attack.

The savage dogs reportedly escaped their owner's yard, grabbed Mr Downing as he was putting rubbish in the dustbin, and pulled him back under the fence to their lair.

The owner of the beasts, Lephus Felton, says they must have been provoked - but now faces having them put down as well as criminal charges .

Dog owner

Eddie Edwards, who found Mr Downing's savaged corpse, told News 4 Jax : "That's a horrible way to go.

"I couldn't imagine being mauled to death - it don't look like something you want to see.”
Mackenzie Partin, who was with him when he found the body, added: "He was eaten alive."

However Mr Felton said his dogs are trained to protect his home and wouldn't attack without good reason.

He said: "He had to be antagonizing my dogs to be pulled under there ... even the police say, because he got pulled underneath.
"So he had to stick his hands under there, so that's when they grabbed him, I guess."
He added that his pets "ain't no vicious dogs"

Neighbours say they have complained about Mr Felton's dogs before.
According to Jacksonville Sheriff's Office police have been called to Mr Felton's home 14 times in the past five years.