The dogs involved in the deadly mauling attack in Compton last week are now dead themselves -- because the county put them down, every last one ... TMZ has confirmed.
A rep for the Los Angeles County Dept. of Animal Care and Control tells us all the pit bulls found at the scene of a home in South L.A. Friday -- where the owner of the dogs had been discovered dead in the backyard after getting mangled -- have now been euthanized.
We're told this decision was not made lightly, but deemed necessary ... as there was evidence linking them to the fatal attack, and due to a potential threat to the community in possibly releasing them after this ... we're told the county chose to have them killed.
In other words ... it was a safety issue, and this result isn't all that surprising big picture -- although, it is certainly sad.
The DACC also clarified to us ... all thirteen dogs on the premises were euthanized, including several puppies. Remember, there were only 5 fully grown pit bulls found to be in the mix.
County officials say part of the attack last week was caught on surveillance video -- and based on what they saw, they believe the owner was feeding the pooches when things went south. DACC says some of the pitties started fighting each other and then turned on him.
Not much is known about the man who died -- other than he lived alone and appeared to be in the business of breeding and selling pits ... per investigators. His girlfriend is reported to have discovered the next morning and called police.
When first responders arrived, a woman who was at the property and trying to escape the dogs out back needed rescuing -- something filmed by news choppers -- although, unclear what her relationship to the victim was, and whether she was the one who called 911.
The man who died was only 35. An investigation is ongoing.