Lennox has been destroyed. Thank you to all who tried to help

walwin

People from around the world are doing what they can to pressurise the NI Governmet to release Lennox.

Victoria Stilwell has been working on his behalf and if he's released has found a new home for him in America.

Please do what you can to make your voice heard so he's not needlessly destroyed.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/first-ministers-plea-for-lennox-as-new-york-campaigners-target-british-consulate-16183050.html

On the 19th May 2010, Lennox, a five year old American Bull dog Labrador cross was wrongfully seized by Belfast City Council Dog Wardens from his loving family home where he lives with his owners and his kennel mates. Lennox committed no crime nor did any member of the public complain about him. Three Belfast City Council Dog Wardens came with the PSNI to his home unannounced. The Dog Wardens then told the Police to leave as there was no need for them at the location. The Belfast City Council Dog Wardens then had tea with his owners, smoked cigarettes, chatted, played with the other family dogs after which the Dog Wardens then measured Lennox’s muzzle and rear legs with a dress maker’s tape measure and decided on those measurements without seeking any professional advice that he was possible “Pit Bull Type Breed” and so he was led from his home to be put to death by the Council. Northern Ireland has yet to fully implement the same dog legislation as mainland UK; if Northern Ireland were to complete the dog legislation here then Lennox could now be at home with his family and they would not now be facing legal prosecution. The USPCA said the law in Northern Ireland could be changed simply and rather quickly by an order in Council.
Lennox’s family have done more than required by the law as responsible dog owners who also foster dogs for various Northern Ireland dog shelters. When Lennox was a puppy his owners had him neutered, licensed, insured, DNA registered, Pet Safe registered and micro chipped and although the Belfast City Council have issued a dog licence for Lennox for the last five years and continue to do so today, the Council now find the need to class him as a Pit Bull type dog and murder him. On the day Lennox was ripped from his family home the Belfast City Council issued his owner with a warrant of seizure which was incorrectly addressed and was for another location, furthermore the Council used the ADBA Inc (American Dog Breeders Association Incorporated) breed standards guide to help identify Lennox as possible Pit Bull type. It has now become clear that the Council used this ADBA breed standards guide illegally breaking international and Berne copyright laws as Belfast City Council have never been authorised by the ADBA to use the copyrighted breed standards guide in full or derived version. Since Lennox’s seizure the ADBA have issued the Belfast City Council with ‘Cease & Desist’ orders due to the Council’s unauthorised continued use of ADBA material.
Lennox’s owners have only been contacted once by the Belfast City Council and this was two hours after Lennox had been taken. One of the Dog Wardens who seized Lennox telephoned Lennox’s owner to say “If you do not sign him over to us to be destroyed then you will most certainly lose your job as we will force a prosecution upon you through the courts.” On many attempts the family have telephoned the Council’s Dog Control Manager but to date the Manager has never taken the families call or returned any calls. Lennox’s family have never been told where he is being kept, what condition he is in, what type of care, feeding or regular exercise he receives, if any. Lennox’s family have repeatedly requested visitation to see what condition he is in however the Dog Control Manager for Belfast City Council Dog Wardens Department has continually refused all requests through the families Solicitor. Photographs of Lennox have emerged recently and have been passed to the family which clearly show Lennox in a cold inhumane concrete kennel which is visibly too small, there are no visible signs of a constant fresh water supply, heating, toys for stimulation and the photographs show Lennox sitting upright in a box type bed surrounded by his own faeces with only saw dust for bedding which many dog experts have agreed is harmful to dogs and unsuitable for bedding, yet Belfast City Council Dog Wardens Department have stated they practice humane animal welfare as set out by the DARD (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development). After studying the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is clear that none of Lennox’s welfare needs are being met at this undisclosed Council contracted kennel.
Local leading MP’s joined in support of Lennox stating in the Belfast Telegraph and other media they were “Appalled” by the seizure and treatment of Lennox and his family. A global campaign which boasts hundreds of thousands of supporters and petition signatures has begun in support of Lennox’s freedom. The ADBA Inc, various Animal Rights groups, Animal Welfare organisations, Veterinarians, Dog Breed and Behaviourist Experts have all gave their support for Lennox’s freedom and many supporters who are regular tourists to Northern Ireland have went further to state they will not return to Northern Ireland until Lennox is returned to his home. The most heartfelt plea of all was heard from Brooke, the owners eleven year old Daughter who is registered disabled. Lennox grew up around Brooke and the two became inseparable. Due to Brooke’s illness she is unable to play each day with other children and so found Lennox to always be there as a playmate and someone to be of comfort to her. Since her best friend was taken Brooke has missed much School due to suffering health and unneeded stress caused by missing her dog. Brooke’s specialist Doctor at Belfast Royal Hospital for Sick Children has also expressed growing concern for the child’s separation from her pet.



Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/TheLennoxCampaign


If you could copy and paste the following letter into 2 emails it would be great
http://www.examiner.com/article/one-last-push-of-urgent-e-mails-needed-for-a-lennox-miracle

Fire_Fox

Is he an illegal dog or not?

krlyr

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Is he an illegal dog or not?

He has been deemed 'of type', yes. The problem is that the law is so subjective, there is not a definitive test/assessment on what makes a dog a "Pitbull type". If the dog meets certain measurements in terms of body/leg length, height, etc. then it can be deemed of type - but even breeds without an ounce of Pitbull (or even Staffie) can fall foul of these measurements, like a small chunky Labrador cross.
Lennox is just another victim to BSL but has become quite a high profile one due to the way the process has happened - from an incorrect warrant which made the seizing of Lennox incorrect from the start, to the dog warden commiting perjury (claimed she was terrified of Lennox, wouldn't go near him from fear, etc. and then some photos were leaked of her cuddling him and him licking her face) to Lennox ended up in an appaling condition in his kennels for the past 2 years (photos of him covered in skin sores, and behaviourists who have visited him noting a neck injury).
Several professional, highly rated behaviourists have visited Lennox and found him to have a very good temperament - only reacting when pushed past some very strong limits and even then he showed great bite inhibition apparently. Yet the judges decided to go on the assessment from an ex-police-dog handler with no behavioural experience.
Obviously there are two sides to every story though and there are websites out there that state the other side of the argument if you wish to find them.

Ultimately, I think the whole situation has resulted in Lennox being an example of how ineffective the Breed-Specific Legislation is at identifying dangerous dogs.
I do think it is very unfortunate that Lennox has had to play poster dog at the cost of his welfare though - if he really is in such poor condition and living in the conditions that supporters claim he is in, I think euthanasia may have been the kinder option 2 years ago. But whether I could do that if it were my own dog, I hope I never have to find out.

spike7451

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Is he an illegal dog or not?

That's a gray area,he looks like a pit bull type dog,but nobody has said either way from what I gather.
According to what I read on my FB page lastnight,he's been granted a reprieve

walwin

spike7451 wrote: »

According to what I read on my FB page lastnight,he's been granted a reprieve

Not yet he hasn't

Fire_Fox

It's a grey area if the ex-owners are denying in court that the dog is a pitbull or pitbull cross, are they? Have they been able to show where they got their dog, perhaps a family who still have the b1tch and stud? Was the dog seized on looks alone or was there an 'incident'? I'm asking because all I see on those links is people wanting the legislation to be ignored, we don't ship criminals to Australia any more and should not ship a dangerous breed (IF he is one) to the US. IMO f the legislation on dangerous dogs needs changing or the legislation on breeding needs changing, campaigning efforts should be focussed there not on one dog.

And I hope the dog warden has been sacked for perjury. :mad:

purple.sarah

I've sent the emails and signed the petition. It's disgusting Lennox could be killed just because of how he looks when he has not done anything wrong.

krlyr

Fire_Fox wrote: »

I'm asking because all I see on those links is people wanting the legislation to be ignored, we don't ship criminals to Australia any more and should not ship a dangerous breed (IF he is one) to the US. IMO f the legislation on dangerous dogs needs changing or the legislation on breeding needs changing, campaigning efforts should be focussed there not on one dog.

Pitbulls are legal in many (most? Not sure of the amount) states in the USA.

There have been many campaigns against BSL but I think Lennox has just become a live example of how it is deed, not breed. I believe there was no attack to cause him being siezed, just that he had been spotted at the house and deemed a possible Pitbull type by the looks of him, so a warrant was attained to go and sieze him at a later date.

walwin

Fire_Fox wrote: »

all I see on those links is people wanting the legislation to be ignored, we don't ship criminals to Australia any more and should not ship a dangerous breed (IF he is one) to the US. IMO f the legislation on dangerous dogs needs changing or the legislation on breeding needs changing, campaigning efforts should be focussed there not on one dog.

And I hope the dog warden has been sacked for perjury. :mad:

I've added Lennox's story to OP. I wrongly assumed people on this forum knew it

Fire_Fox

krlyr wrote: »

Pitbulls are legal in many (most? Not sure of the amount) states in the USA.

There have been many campaigns against BSL but I think Lennox has just become a live example of how it is deed, not breed. I believe there was no attack to cause him being siezed, just that he had been spotted at the house and deemed a possible Pitbull type by the looks of him, so a warrant was attained to go and sieze him at a later date.

Pitbulls are not legal here, it's immoral to dump breeds we officially deem to be dangerous on another nation. If you want a better analogy we don't ship convicted wife batterers out to countries where spousal abuse is legal. I still don't know whether the owners have actually denied he is a pitbull/ cross and supplied details of the parentage?

Afraid I believe it to be deed AND breed. We constantly counsel on this and other pet boards to select the right breed for the right home - the amount of exercise the dog needs, their instincts and needs to be stimulated intellectually or for need for company. We don't pretend training overrides the instincts of a traditionally working breed, it's nonsensical to do the same with traditional fighting or guarding breeds. Claims of breed not being relevant are based on the implications, not common sense IMO.

walwin

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Pitbulls are not legal here, it's immoral to dump breeds we officially deem to be dangerous on another nation. If you want a better analogy we don't ship convicted wife batterers out to countries where spousal abuse is legal. I still don't know whether the owners have actually denied he is a pitbull/ cross and supplied details of the parentage?

Afraid I believe it to be deed AND breed. We constantly counsel on this and other pet boards to select the right breed for the right home - the amount of exercise the dog needs, their instincts and needs to be stimulated intellectually or for need for company. We don't pretend training overrides the instincts of a traditionally working breed, it's nonsensical to do the same with traditional fighting or guarding breeds. Claims of breed not being relevant are based on the implications, not common sense IMO.

You seem to be missing the point though..........he's not a pitbull