I am an animal rehabilitator & rights activist in support of the Barnes family of Belfast whose support dog for their asthmatic daughter was killed by Belfast CC. I have strong reason to believe the dog died from abuse while in their care and was NOT euthanized as they claim. Animal abuse is serious and should never be tolerated, or allowed to be covered up when at the hands of those whose job it is to regulate animals.
The Barnes family of Belfast had their labrador/bulldog mix dog, Lennox, who served as a support dog for the family's young asthmatic daughter Brooke taken from them with the accusation that the animal was a dangerous pit bull type dog. Lennox was not a pit bull, and was not dangerous as evidenced by this video http://youtu.be/WZz2V0aCXmI of his behavioral assessment by the very people who deemed him "dangerous."
I believe the dog died from abuse while in Belfast City Council custody and was not euthanized humanely as they claimed. There were reports of sores & hair loss to the dog. The family was not permitted to see the dog, neither was the family's veterinarian. They refused to allow the family to have a moment to say goodbye to their pet before the scheduled euthaniasia. They refused to allow the family to have the dog's body for burial after death, or all his ashes, or even his collar. This all points to a coverup of the dog's condition, & true time/manner of death. And if it is not policy to cremate all animals they euthanize, why would they claim to have cremated just this dog?
The Belfast City Council's behavior in this matter is an affront and threat to all people like myself who work for the humane treatment of animals, and to all dog owners who have to fear if their dog might be taken and killed next. It is a heartache to know that an animal that served not just as a family pet but also as a working dog for a disabled child could be treated in this manner by people charged with the protection of public safety.
I want an investigation by an independent animal welfare organization into the true day, time, and manner of this dog's death, and if it is found he died from abuse while in BelfastCC care, they must be held legally accountable.
Have already complained & asked for dismissal of dog warden in question & head of dept Suzanne Wylie. I too, am beginning to believe there is something extremely wrong with this situation.
ReplyDeleteA judicial enquiry is the only way to get to the truth.
I think so,too.I believe,Lennox died in 2010 after he was captured by the bad people.My fear is, he was abused to dead.There is no logical explanation why it took two years for this case.So it will explain why they don´t send his collar back.
ReplyDeleteSorry for my bad english
Based on my understanding of the UK DDA a pit bull-type dog can remain with the owner so long as the owner is deemed responsible and takes measures such as muzzling the dog in public. The story of Lennox has never made sense to me in that he was confiscated and never returned although he never attacked anyone. Unless the NI law has amended the version of the DDA as it stands in the rest of the UK, it seems to me that the BCC overreached. I suspect that the full story has never been fully revealed. Otherwise, lawfully I do not see how BCC had the legal right to retain him where the rightful owner was responsible and the dog had never been violent. If a dog ends up in an animal shelter (at least in England), the animal shelter will release him, even if he's been declared a pit bull-type, if the owner claims him within 7 days, and this is done with full consent of the police.
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