FRENCHTOWN TWP. (WWJ/AP) - Officials say four dogs that attacked a teenage girl outside a Monroe County home in April have been euthanized.

A district judge, who ruled earlier that the dogs are dangerous, denied a motion by Timothy Iocoangeli, the dogs’ owner, to have his pets put down by a personal veterinarian rather than the county’s animal control, citing liability issues. The judge also denied Iocoangeli’s request to be present during the process.

Authorities say the dogs, all Boxers, ran outside the home in Frenchtown Township and attacked the high school junior, who was standing in the front yard. The girl, then 15-years-old, was reportedly bitten more than 200 times and underwent five surgeries. She was hospitalized for 10 days. Prosecutors say she was lucky to survive.

Iocoangeli, who is charged with four felony counts of owning a dangerous dog that caused serious injury and is expected to go to trial in January, wasn’t home at the time of the attack, but said the dogs were apparently trying to protect his house and a litter of puppies.

“They’re not dangerous dogs,” Iocoangeli told the Monroe Evening News. “I’m so sorry the girl got hurt. I feel terrible. She’s just a kid. But those dogs didn’t do anything wrong. They were protecting their property. My dogs are not vicious dogs.”

The puppies, which were removed from the home by county animal control officials after the attack, have been released to a rescue mission to be adopted.

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