Save Lennox - the crossbreed condemned to death if Belfast Council have their way.

[Vallhalloween]

The original thread is HERE and photos of the disgraceful conditions in which Lennox is being incarcerated are in my MN photos.

Lennox's story is on Facebook, here.

[Scuttlebutter]

Hi Val, what exactly do you want people to do? I clicked on the link to see a very long list of comments - can you be speciific if you want people to write - who to, address, etc?
What is the timescale on this?

[Vallhalloween]

Belfast City Council's Chief Executive can be emailed at [email protected]
His name is Peter Mc Naney.

The timescale's the sooner the better wrt emailing and appealing for reason and humanitarian conditions for Lennox.

[Vallhalloween]

Oops, and sorry... thank you Scuttle! :)

[spikeycow]

I've had no replies yet.

[Avantia]

So owner has had him for 5 years - why is it only now the council has taken interest - what caused this interest ?

I dont suppose the owner can provide proof of purchase or any documentation indicating his breed. Perhaps a bit irresponsible when having this type of dog .

I am a dog lover, dont get me wrong, but full facts would be good.

They must be a charity that owner can contact to help verify breed.

[Vallhalloween]

The "interest" was caused when the Council's dog warden delivered by hand the Licence renewal forms which the owners have completed religiously every year. Apparently the council do not now send these by post.

The dog warden saw Lennox very briefly, from the other side of a six foot high gate... and then decreed that Lennox was a PBT type. The dog warden is no more qualified to make that judgement than I am. Lennox, incidentally, is DNA registered. I don't know about his owners but I know I don't possess documents proving purchase - if indeed there ever were any and if indeed Lennox was purchased and not given to the owners - for anything, including my (rescued) dogs. I would think that this is not unusual.

There is no charity which can verify the breed. In law this is one of the very few areas where the burden of proof is upon the accused and not upon the accuser.

The warrant of seizure upon Lennox was incorrectly addressed - this was published thanks to the householder who received it, BCC turned down a Freedom Of Information application from a member of the public to do so.

There is a "cease and desist" order upon BCC, which they are ignoring. It has been issued by the American Dog Breeders Association as the Council are using their copyrighted details (i.e. measurements of muzzle and legs) to define and "identify" a Pit Bull Terrier.

Lennox is laying in a bed of SAWDUST, which is potentially harmful to his skin and eyes, in a small, shabby kennel, address unknown. His owners are not permitted to see him. A FOI application reveals that these kennels are staffed only four and a half hours a day... something which is in itself a breach of animal welfare legislation.

[Avantia]

Maybe no charity that can verfiy breed but surely one that can put pressure on council re its conditions ?

I wouldn't think proof of purchase fpr a pure breed dog is unusual , I have one .

DNA registered with AKC ? why can't owners get details from them to prove its breed ?

what are the owners actually doing to prove its breed ?

[lucykate]

it's very sad, but i would worry that the family pet they took away, may be already lost. the dog the family once knew may be very different should he ever be returned to them due to the treatment and conditions while he's been held.

[Vallhalloween]

I think that's very much in the family's minds, Lucykate. Not that he will now become an aggressive dog but that he will be a shadow of his former self.

From the POV of a rescuer I can offer comfort that the depression and fear caused by kennelling can be turned round and a happy, positve dog come out the other side, but I know that it takes a lot of love and commitment. Thankfully, Lennox's family have both by the shedful. :)

[Vallhalloween]

Avantia - we are all putting pressure on BCC.

Lennox is not a pure bred dog, which is maybe (and I don't know, just a guess) why his owners don't have purchase docs. He's a crossbreed (but definitely NOT a Pit!).

DNA records are irrelevant to BCC - their interpretation of the appalling breed specific legislation is that they may impound a dog which is in their opinion a PBT type and that's that as far as they are concerned.

What the owners are doing is all explained on the links in the thread referred to in my OP - as is the whole story you wanted.

SAVE LENNOX WEBPAGES HERE TOO

Hope that answers your questions, must race off now. :)

[spikeycow]

I haven't heard anything of anyone yet! Has anyone emailed and had a reply?

[Vallhalloween]

Not yet, no. Some have received standard replies, and a standaed response has been put on the Council's Facebook page.

A click to get you to their FB page USED to lead you to "Belfast City Council and Others", one of 3 page choices they have. Yesterday the devious bastards changed the place which Facebook goes to - now a click to get you to their FB page takes you straight to "Just Belfast" and all you see there are nice little comments about sports facilities and what's going on with the Councillors. All new comments about Lennox written on the "Just Belfast" page are automatically and immediately moved to the "and Others" page. All the earlier comments which were on "Just Belfast" have been moved to the "and Others" page too.

It seems that they don't want the viewing public to see the hundreds of complaints about the treatment of Lennox.

[spikeycow]

Do they know about the petition? What about the familys MP? It's just senseless. Could the family organise a protest outside where Lennox is being held

[kid]

I have just emailed.
Really wish Lennox could go back home where he belongs. They have no right just holding him without trying to determine if he is a PBT or not.
Hope my email helps make a difference

[Vallhalloween]

They know about the petition. I believe that as many political people as could be rounded up are informed and in the loop but as for a protest outside where Lennox is being held, that's one of the issues... the council are refusing to tell anyone WHERE Lennox is held.

It could be one of a handful of pounds/kennels paid by the Council to take in and "care for" dogs seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act. No-one knows, we've tried to find out, believe me, but this time even the Animal Rights movement have been unsuccessful.

[LetThereBeRock]

I'll e-mail. This is awful,and utterly ridiculous,but then I think that all BSL is.

[Vallhala]

SAVE LENNOX

Lennox's owners are in court this very minute, fighting to save his life.

If you have prayers, now is the time to offer them, if not, positive thoughts will be just as appreciated. My own thoughts are certainly nowhere but with Lennox and his owners today.

[Vallhala]

WORD IS COMING THROUGH THAT THE JUDGE HAS DECIDED THAT LENNOX MUST BE KILLED.

[MotherJack]

Absolutely fucking disgraceful decision by the judge. I'm saddened beyond belief. I've been following it since just before lunch when the case opened and just feel sick now.

[Vallhala]

Me too, MotherJack.

Apparently the Barnes' are going to appeal but fuck knows how they are going to afford it and we must remember that they are fighting a huge, rich machine in Belfast City Council. :(

From what I gather the Dog Warden painted Lennox in a very bad light from the off, despite that he has NEVER hurt a soul or even come close to it. The bastards took him from his home, refused his family any opportunity to see him for nearly a year, gave him little or no human contact, kept him in a cell and then accused him of being a difficult dog... it beggars belief how low these bastards will stoop.

To all those who have clicked on this thread and then walked away, remember this... NEXT TIME IT COULD BE YOUR DOG.

[coccyx]

bloody hell. what an idiot

[MotherJack]

If the 20,000 people on the FB page gave £1 that would be a great start. With so many people supporting them, I'd hope some fund raising would be possible. I think any suggestion to do so would just get swamped at the minute though.

Isn't there an Indian tale that says that when humans die they are judged by the animals they have come across in their lives? I'm going to reflect on that tonight and think of the judge rotting in hell.

[Vallhala]

You and me both, MotherJack, you and me both.

I did some FOI requests which went over to the family and picked up some interesting facts which although they wouldn't sway a decision alone should have been helpful and yet this is the decision they're given...

Either my prediction about the effects of their appalling third rate kennelling and care are correct, in which case BCC are guilty of welfare offences or the dog warden and her cronies have committed perjury.

[Vallhala]

"Belfast Shity Council want payment for all the inhumane care and kenneling provided over last 11 months"

You couldn't make it up, could you?

They're having a fecking laugh!

[MotherJack]

You certainly couldn't make it up.

I absolutely agree that the conditions he has been kept in would have a negative effect on him. Ripped away from his loving family and left in a dank kennel - who wouldn't change. And no one will ever know how that 3rd rate kennel have actually treated him. Looking at the photos there is little evidence to suggest they were at all kind to him.

I have sent some emails off. I really would like to set up some way to help the family financially - do you have any ideas how I could do that? I thought of "Just Giving" but I think they only do charities.