Dogs

[screenexile]

Thought I would resurrect this thread as I've been embroiled in debate about this today. What are people's views on Lennox the dog? I think it needed to be done but think that PR Wise the Council have note handled it particularly well.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/death-row-dog-lennox-destroyed-by-belfast-council-16183738.html

Lennox, the dog at the centre of an international campaign to stop a Northern Ireland council from putting him to sleep, has been destroyed.

The family pet was put down this morning after the expiry of a midnight deadline for legal appeals.

Campaigners claim to have 200,000 signatures supporting a reprieve and emotions were running high.

A Belfast City Council spokesman said: "Lennox, an illegal pit-bull terrier type, has been humanely put to sleep. This was in accordance with the Order of the County Court which was affirmed by the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.

"Whilst there is an exemption scheme to which dogs of this type (pit-bull terrier type) may be admitted as an alternative to destruction, there were no such measures that could be applied in this case that would address the concerns relating to public safety. The Council's expert described the dog as one of the most unpredictable and dangerous dogs he had come across.

"Over the past two years, Council officials have been subjected to a sustained campaign of abuse including threats of violence and death threats. The Council has been in ongoing contact with the PSNI in relation to that.

"The Council regrets that the court action was necessary but would emphasise that the safety of the public remains its key priority."

A statement from Lennox's owners, posted on Facebook before the council announcement, said:

"Despite previous assurances otherwise, we have been denied the opportunity to say goodbye. We have also been told that we cannot collect his body and bring Len home. We have been informed however that we will receive "some" ashes in the mail."

Lennox was impounded by Belfast City Council's dog wardens in 2010.

In June, Northern Ireland's most senior judges rejected Caroline Barnes' legal bid to overturn an order for the destruction of her pet.

Ms Barnes, who is disabled, and her family insisted that Lennox was not dangerous, and while it was not clear exactly what breed he was, pit bulls and dogs like them are illegal in Northern Ireland.

Two lower courts had already ruled that the dog should be put down.

The dog was seized by Belfast City Council dog wardens in May 2010. He was assessed to be a danger to the public and subsequently ordered to be put down.

A former Metropolitan Police dog handler claimed the dog represented a danger due to his unpredictability.

Ms Barnes, 35, had accepted her pet was a pit-bull type, but claimed there had been a failure to properly consider a possible exemption scheme.

Her battle for Lennox became an international campaign to save his life. It went "viral" on social media websites and attracted tens of thousands of well-wishers.

Well-known people including boxer Lennox Lewis and Assembly First Minister Peter Robinson were among those who used Twitter to call for the dog to be spared.

Now I'm in no way a dog person so I may be biased on this but surely if there's any danger of this kind of dog being unpredictable then it needs to be put down whether it's a valued family pet or not?

[Hardy]

I am a dog person and I agree with you.

[Orior]

I am a dog person and I agree with you.

Woof. Woof woof woof. Woof woof woof woof... *stops to lick balls*.... woof woof. Woof.

[screenexile]

I am a dog person and I agree with you.

Woof. Woof woof woof. Woof woof woof woof... *stops to lick balls*.... woof woof. Woof.

I'll admit it you got me to smile there!!!

[moysider]

Council had no choice. These dogs are illegal for good reason. While most make lovely docile family pets, if the odd one goes wrong the results can be devastating for another family's pet or a child. Saw one in action abroad last summer and his owner even took a pasteing trying to restrain him.
Feel sorry for the family but they were naive to take him on as a puppy.
We all know why they are bred but breeding pit crosses like these should be illegal.

[Hardy]

I am a dog person and I agree with you.

Woof. Woof woof woof. Woof woof woof woof... *stops to lick balls*.... woof woof. Woof.

I knew I should have clarified that. I meant I'm a dog lover.

Wait, no ...

[ONeill]

The Belfast Tele were saying it would affect tourism.

They should leave their child in a room with that dog. I don't care if it has been placid in the past, they wouldn't do it.

[Wildweasel74]

The lennox situation made the Belfast city council a laughing stock, a ex police handler classified the dog as a dangerous breed even though a bitch from the same litter was not?? how that work, one was bigger than another. 5 actual dog experts said the dog didn't not show signs of been dangerous. best option was to get it relocated and save face all round!! now the bbc look like a bunch of buffoons and spiteful, spent a fortune to save face, dogs in a way are like people, some good some bad, its  a bit like a biker or punk rocker who looks scary but could be the nicest guy in the world!! no matter the breed, Akita's, rottweilers, doberman, Alsatians, are all big dogs and in the past have been involved in horrendous incidents involving children, when i see these dogs i am wary of them due to the sheer power of the animal but never scared of it! do you ban all dogs cause of 1 or 2 bad ones? I have a Labrador / Alsatian half breed,has the Alsatian face, gives it away what it is, tough looking dog, but in reality is the softest push over i ever seen, couldn't get in its kennel one night as one of your cats had took over it!! The cat now sleeps with the dog ever night, funniest thing you see!! All dogs can be dangerous and at any moment could turn on you, abit like a grumpy person having  abad day! I think the problem these days is young people walking round with Akita's, pitbull as status symbol to look tough but have no proper understanding of the care required to look after such dogs!! I love to have an Alaskan malamute, forbey been expensive they are a very powerful animal, which needs alot of attention, its not classified a dangerous dog but common sense dictated that's you couldn't let a dog like this room free!! Hell i even petted one of those wolf dogs -  looks like a tan/white wolf (the guy was in the Irish star a few yrs bck) outside Gorey in wexford, Magnificent animal but huge , powerful, and with a suspect temperant, but people were buying them even though they were dangerous as nobody had one!! So owning a dog comes with a level of responsibility and people should get a animal that's suits them and not one to look the toughest guy on the block which seems to be the in thing round where i live!!

[Maguire01]

Some of the 7,900 odd comments on the City Council's Facebook page are worth a read!

Comments include:
This is Bobby Sands all over again.
Barbarians and nazist
go to hell! i really hope u die a horrible death BCC
BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS. Now it´s war! We will never stop! Your nightmare will come true

[Wildweasel74]

they should have got a certain ex tyrone player to give his opinion on the type of dog it was, after all he has more experience than most in that field!!!

[Hardy]

Forbey?

[Wildweasel74]

no the former owner of cannonball, an expert in the field!!!

[moysider]

The lennox situation made the Belfast city council a laughing stock, a ex police handler classified the dog as a dangerous breed even though a bitch from the same litter was not?? how that work, one was bigger than another. 5 actual dog experts said the dog didn't not show signs of been dangerous. best option was to get it relocated and save face all round!! now the bbc look like a bunch of buffoons and spiteful, spent a fortune to save face, dogs in a way are like people, some good some bad, its  a bit like a biker or punk rocker who looks scary but could be the nicest guy in the world!! no matter the breed, Akita's, rottweilers, doberman, Alsatians, are all big dogs and in the past have been involved in horrendous incidents involving children, when i see these dogs i am wary of them due to the sheer power of the animal but never scared of it! do you ban all dogs cause of 1 or 2 bad ones? I have a Labrador / Alsatian half breed,has the Alsatian face, gives it away what it is, tough looking dog, but in reality is the softest push over i ever seen, couldn't get in its kennel one night as one of your cats had took over it!! The cat now sleeps with the dog ever night, funniest thing you see!! All dogs can be dangerous and at any moment could turn on you, abit like a grumpy person having  abad day! I think the problem these days is young people walking round with Akita's, pitbull as status symbol to look tough but have no proper understanding of the care required to look after such dogs!! I love to have an Alaskan malamute, forbey been expensive they are a very powerful animal, which needs alot of attention, its not classified a dangerous dog but common sense dictated that's you couldn't let a dog like this room free!! Hell i even petted one of those wolf dogs -  looks like a tan/white wolf (the guy was in the Irish star a few yrs bck) outside Gorey in wexford, Magnificent animal but huge , powerful, and with a suspect temperant, but people were buying them even though they were dangerous as nobody had one!! So owning a dog comes with a level of responsibility and people should get a animal that's suits them and not one to look the toughest guy on the block which seems to be the in thing round where i live!!

You ve summed up the whole thing there I reckon.

Pit bulls are mostly good guys - and so are most of the other dogs from breeds with 'history'.

It s not an exact science. An experienced dogman can get a dog that is just unmanagable and a novice can end up with a Rott or pitbull that tries to lick you to death. Then you get the morons that encourage their dog to be real hard by abusing it and setting it on easy targets. I don t blame a local authority for erring on the side of caution. Lennox was probably a decent sort but would anybody take a chance with these dogs and have a child deformed or worse? Silly question - obviously loads of people would.  When one goes bad - they usually build up, (owners get into denial and it s always something else to blame that sets them off and of course they have a bond with the pet) they can do some damage.

I suspect that a child being maimed by a dog attack would get less attention than poor Lennox.

[All of a Sludden]

There are no bad dogs, but there are plenty of bad dog owners.

[Tony Baloney]

Some of the 7,900 odd comments on the City Council's Facebook page are worth a read!

Comments include:
This is Bobby Sands all over again.
Barbarians and nazist
go to hell! i really hope u die a horrible death BCC
BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS. Now it´s war! We will never stop! Your nightmare will come true

It's a f**king dog. Have people lost all perspective?!