A 3-year-old Minnesota boy attacked by pit bulls is not expected to survive

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. -- A 3-year-old Minnesota boy who was attacked by two pit bulls last week is not expected to survive, his family said.

The parents of Covil Allen are preparing their son to be an organ donor, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Friday. An online campaign is raising funds to help Covil's parents cope with expenses related to the July 19 attack in the backyard of a home.

A search warrant obtained by WCCO-TV said Covil's family was at a home in Brooklyn Park where dogs were being sold. Police said they believed that the child's parents were there to buy a dog.

When the dogs began to attack Covil, adults "started to defend the 3-year-old by using hammers and pick axes to get the dogs off,” according to the warrant.

Police officers arrived and saw the dogs attacking the child and shot both animals, police said. One dog was killed and the other was taken to a veterinary hospital and euthanized.

The fundraising posting said Covil's mother also was bitten, on the leg, and has had several surgeries.

Police said an investigation continues into the attack on Covil and another dog bite incident on Tuesday, when a 7-year-old girl was attacked by a loose dog. She was not badly hurt. Officers killed the dog when it then tried to attack a boy, police said.

Brooklyn Park police Inspector Elliot Faust said larger conversations are underway with city leaders and elected officials about dog attacks.