What happened to Lennox?

[truthisinthewine]

I read on here the story of a dog who was taken from his family and kept in horrible conditions by Belfast council.

I am sure the court case to decide his fate was a few weeks ago.

I often think of this dog and his family but can't find anything online to say what happened to him.

[Vallhala]

Lennox's solicitor left them in the lurch (allegedly under pressure) the day before the court case on 23rd November.

The family went to court and begged for an adjournment in order that they could find and instruct a new solicitor. The adjournment was permitted and the case comes before the court in a few days time, 7th December.

Despite precedents suggesting otherwise and practice on the part of Northern Ireland councils and courts previously, it has recently been found that there is a little-known clause in NI law which states that it is not an absolute that a dog which is PBT ot PBT "type" must be killed. There are, with court permission and under certain conditions, opportunities for such dogs to be registered and permitted to live, just as there are under English law. We are hoping and praying that Lennox, even if he is judged to be "type" - which frankly, he clearly is not - will be permitted to live under license as he has never ever shown aggression and as the Barnes family have gone over and above their legal duties in behaving responsibly wrt Lennox since the day they took him on when he was a puppy.

What concerns me is that a recent statement by Belfast City Council said that Lennox was "type" AND aggressive - I only pray to god that he hasn't been made so by the distress and neglect that has occurred whilst he has been isolated in council kennels these past months.

I put in a FOI Act request about him, the answers to which you'll find on his Save Lennox facebook page. They don't make great reading and indicate that the poor dog is receiving care which is far from optimum IMHO.

A fair bit of info is put on Twitter, if you do that (I don't, haven't a clue!). The Barnes family have been unable to update online as much as they would like as, I understand, someone cut their internet cables.

Makes you wonder why anyone would do such a thing... and who...

[Vallhala]

Rolling updates from Twitter on the SAVE LENNOX website

[truthisinthewine]

Thank you so much. I don't understand twitter but will try and look. Do you know if the family have been able to visit him often to maintain their relationship with him?

It breaks my heart to think of my precious dog being taken by strangers and not knowing if she was warm and well fed and if people were kind. I can't imagine how awful it must be for his family.

[Vallhala]

You're welcome. :)

The family haven't been allowed to visit Lennox - they aren't even allowed to know where he is being kept. The dog warden who seized him said that if the Barnes' daughter, Brooke, who is Lennox's 12 year old disabled owner, were to be allowed to visit she might try to steal Lennox!