A family pet killed for the way it looks...

screenager2004

Hi all, I thought I'd bring this to your attention today.

‘Lennox’ was a loved family pet of the Barnes Family for five years.
He was also a care dog for their 11-year old disabled daughter, she is unable to play with other children, so Lennox was her best friend.
His owner is a veterinary nurse, and the family fostered abandoned dogs.
He was neutered, electronically chipped,licensed, fully trained, kennel club registered, insured and DNA registered. So very responsible owners.

Most importantly of all: Lennox had never shown any signs of aggression, had never attacked another dog or human in his life. He was just a regular house pet.

On May 19th 2010, Belfast City Council ordered for him to be seized and destroyed.
The reason why: they got a tape measure out and he was too tall (from the floor to his shoulder), and was therefore deemed to be a 'dangerous breed' - despite the fact that the dog wardens said that his brother, born from the same litter of puppies was not dangerous. :confused:

So obviously the family took the Council to court get their pet back, the council wouldn't tell them where Lennox was being held. After 6 months of separation, the council ‘kindly’ sent the family this harrowing picture to show that the dog was still alive and well at Christmas.

Spoiler

If anyone else had kept an animal in these conditions they would be imprisoned for animal abuse. This is what your tax pays for. This dog has been confined to a tiny concrete room for 11 months now. Separate from his family, with just sawdust and his own excrement to sleep on.

The Barnes family have been in the papers and the radio a lot. The Council know how unpopular they are because of this – so they can't admit they were wrong.
The first two times the Barnes family took the Council to court to try and get their pet back, the Council kept on having the court hearing postponed and postponed. it's not about the dog anymore, but the Council trying to recover their reputation.

Today it is the 29th of March, and this morning the courts ruled in favour of Belfast City Council. The Barnes family have launched an appeal. I am so upset about this. That poor dog must be so lonely/scared, I hope the appeal succeeds, I don't want that dogs last 11 months of its life to be spent in that prison.

Save Lennox

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Reply 1

screenager2004

Original post by Mally-xo

have joined :cry:

that is too cruel, it really is a common misconception that just because a dog is a certain breed, IT MUST be dangerous, which really is not correct. it is the owners that cause the dog to end up aggressively.

Well it wasn't even a dangerous breed! It was a Staffordshire/Labrador Cross.

Reply 2

posietoes

I'm actually heartbroken from reading that :frown:

I'll join/sign/do whatever Lennox needs me to!

Stupid council...

So sad

Surely authorities should be getting actually dangerous dogs? :s-smilie:

I've always been a bit skeptical of the 'dangerous breeds' - most vicious dogs are normal breeds which have been brought up by **** owners.

Reply 5

kerily

That's ****ing horrendous. Just had to go and give my dogs a hug after reading that :frown:

(One of which is large for his breed!)

I wonder if the people on the council are dog owners. I doubt it, somehow.

Reply 6

M1F2R3

I honestly believe it's never the dogs fault, they're animals at the end of the day. If an owner abuses an animal then you can expect the dog to be hostile, no matter the breed.

Reply 7

Rant

Doesn't look too friendly.

Reply 8

Joshalos

I have liked the page in support as well.

That a council could do something like that is absolutely appaling. Any decent human being would at least make some reliable judgements on a dangerous dog i.e. shown signs of aggresion not just because their height makes them dangerous. I expect many more dogs of that breed are much smaller yet have done so much more damage.

These dogs are taught to be aggressive for dog fights. Yes, they may have a more quick to anger temperament but so do many people and other dogs. It is the fact that people draw this anger out on purpose. Anything will fight back if provoked.

Reply 9

racello

Signed the petition
Their council is a ****ing disgrace.

Reply 10

94_confessions

Petition signed, this is truly horrible :/.

Reply 11

DH-Biker

There's no such thing as a dangerous dog.

Its the training the owners condition them on is what makes them dangerous.

Control a dog, and it'll behave and be lovely, cuddly and calm.

Don't control your dog, it'll try and put itself at the head of the pack.

Granted, the temperaments of certain canines is different, but none are biologically "aggressive".

In that regard, **** those "authorities".

Reply 12

SiaSiaSia

This made me cry, this is so, so, so awful

Reply 13

J_90

People think Staffies are dangerous. BS. They're soft as ****.

Reply 14

PurpleNinja

It's disgusting how the council have put this off and tortured the family like this. Don't they realize that trying to cover things up and putting off the trial will make them look even more unpopular than saying "Oops, our bad" and swiftly silencing the family by giving back the dog?Sending that particular photo to them was a great stroke of genius.

Stuff like this makes me wonder if any establishment governed by humans will be above ridiculous mistakes.

Reply 15

Josh_Dey

Hypocritical council...

Reply 16

callum9999

Original post by DH-Biker

Well dogs can, and are, bred for their aggressive temperament - it definitely is biological in many cases.

Saying that, I agree with your underlying message. Just because statistically a breed is more likely to be aggressive, it's no excuse for killing it if it's been looked after properly and shows no signs of aggression.

Reply 17

Martyn*

Staffs can be very dangerous. They can turn at any moment. One minute they are nice, and the next they are not. Very unpredictable.

Reply 18

Smophy

The RSPCA do this all the time too( RSPCA are always too keen to destroy animals). If they think a dog is a dangerous breed then they will destroy it no matter what its temperament is. Seen a lot of lovely Pit Bulls be destroyed under the Dangerous dogs Act 1991 and seeing as though there is no definite way to know that they are even Pit Bulls many are crosses & often Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

Ridiculous law. It should go on temperament not breed.

Liked the fb page. Feel so sad for this family! I really hope they get their dog back home safe!