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PA wire via AP, file
Lennox, deemed an illegal pitbull terrier type dog in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A pug-nosed Belfast dog named Lennox, who inspired a two-year legal fight and animal-rights protests on both sides of the Atlantic, has been put down, the Belfast City Council confirmed Wednesday.
A two-year international battle to save pug-nosed Lennox, whose resemblance to a pitbull brought it a death warrant from the City Council in Belfast, Northern Ireland, ended Wednesday with the announcement that city officials killed the 7-year-old dog.
The City Council declared Lennox had a severe personality disorder, but his owners, the Barnes family, said he was a well-handled American bulldog-Labrador cross. After measuring his legs and snout, dog wardens declared Lennox a “possible pitbull type” and in 2010 seized him under the UK’s dangerous dog act.
Owner Caroline Barnes, said her teenage daughter, Brooke, had been denied the chance to say a final farewell, the Belfast Telegraph reported.
"We had told Brooke that even if we don't win (the case), she can still see Lennox, have her last pictures with him and say goodbye," said Caroline Barnes. "To then have to tell her that no, that is not happening, it has been extremely unfair."
Victoria Stilwell
The euthanizing sparked expressions of outrage, including from celebrities such as Victoria Stilwell, host of Animal Planet’s “It’s Me or the Dog.”
“Outraged & devastated for the Barnes family,” Stilwell tweeted. “@BelfastCC are defending their decision to murder this ‘dangerous dog, but the world knows different.'”
Stilwell had offered to the Belfast City Council to take Lennox, all expenses paid, to a new home in the United States, but her request for a meeting to discuss the proposal went unanswered.
"I think the council had something to prove, and they were going to do it even though it was wrong," Stilwell told msnbc.com.
To owners of dogs targeted by breed-specific legislation, she warned: "Don’t trust your council and don’t trust your county. There are vindictive people dead set against bully breeds who will find you and take your dogs away."
She said she will work to fight breed-specific legislation.
"We must target the deed not the breed," Stilwell said. "We must hold irresponsible pet owners accountable. Dogs of any breed can be fantastic, and dogs of any breed can be dangerous. Breed-specific law is flawed; it just doesn’t work."
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A Belfast council spokesman on Wednesday, quoted by the Belfast Telegraph, said:
"Lennox, an illegalpit-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."
Northern Ireland's senior appeals court last month upheld two 2011 court rulings that Lennox should be put down.
However, Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson suggested on Monday that the Belfast City Council consider offers to take the dog elsewhere, raising the hopes of Lennox supporters, some of whom were protesting in New York. Protests were also held Saturday in Belfast, and a candlelight vigil was held there Tuesday night. Protests were also held Tuesday in Spain.
Online petitions garnered 200,000 signatures.
A Short Film Dedicated To Lennox The American Bull Dog Cross Wrongfully Seized By Belfast City Dog Wardens On May 19th 2010 And Sentenced To Death Because Of How He Looks.
http://www.savelennox.co.uk
http://www.savelennoxblog.co.uk
http://www.savelennoxpetition.co.uk
http://www.savelennoxfacebook.co.uk
Msnbc.com's Jim Gold contributed to this article. Follow him on Facebook here.
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Leave a Comment:
Murderers and rapists walk free but a dog who has never harmed anyone in his life gets put to death. Oh yeah, that makes complete sense. I can only hope that what goes around, comes around.
No, Norskejente. You are the people i feared working for the public as a contractor. I can't talk to you at the front door with an appointment because you cannot keep your growling bastards from interfering with our conversation about your plumbing problem. THEN, you bring the unruly mutts outside where I am performing a service and act like an ignorant a*s going I don't know why my dog bit you. I can't run a lawnmower, weedeater, sewer machine, hairdryer or a cordless screwdriver with fear of being attacked by my customer's dogs. Dipstick!
Then why don't you act like an adult and tell the owners to keep their pets inside "for fear that they may be harmed by the tools you are using. (such as swallowing the tool or grabbing hold of a sharp object or running in front of a potentially dangerous machine, etc)." There is always an alternative so stop complaining and start thinking.
So the dog didn't hurt anyone/thing, was registered in accordance to the laws of the land, was NOT the breed in question, and had been with the family 5 years, but was killed because it 'looked' like a Pit-Bull?
Talk about racial profiling.
Belfast can kiss my tourism dollars good-bye.
This is an absolute travesty and my heart breaks for this family. Funny how the UK will put down a dog for looking like an illegal breed but will get on the US for humanely putting down murderers..what a bunch of hypocrites!
You Yanks get so dog gone emotional about everything. It's just a dog, dogonnit!
The UK can kiss my tourism goodbye as well. I go there every 3-4 years on average, and will never set foot in that country again. The way a country treats its animals and how they feel about animals says a lot about that country and it's people. They are savages, and they haven't evolved just yet. Time to boycott countries that have no sympathy. Full expenses were paid for this dog to re-home, but they killed it anyway. Absolutely ridiculous.
Dbrooks - Just a dog huh? I bet you never owned a dog, and never will. It's a family member that did nothing wrong you savage! I hope you did not and will not procreate. Most American's love their dogs and treat them like family members, so us Yanks are much more kind hearted and humane than you or your country could ever be!
dbrooks
to paraphrase ghandi, you can tell alot about a society by the manner in which it treats its animals. now go throw some petrol bombs at members of your other community
And what about the family who was put through this, are they "just people"? The dog could have placed in a home in the US and spared the family, especially the child who owned him, all that pain, did they do it? Nope. Did they allow the family to say goodbye to him? Nope. Did they give the family his body? Nope. But yeah who cares, it's just a dog.
gw10: Do you find it hard fluttering through life as an idiot? Insisting upon killing a dog that has received many different offers of relocation to other countries/continents?
Poor Bull-lab mix just awful to do that to them(family and the dog) especially since he never hurt anyone and a Rich American was ready to transport him to the US why would you NOT let that happen? Labs are known to have saved humans in fires and strokes and heart attacks and also have saved babies in the water before. Labs are very gentle dogs but very protective of humans as well. Not my favorite breed but tons of people in NC have them they are GREAT family dogs my Aunt has 1 and Abby is a great dog especially for kids and elderly. So sorry they did that to you.
All we can do now is tell the world : DO NOT GO TO IRELAND ! they kill innocent animals because of their genes. Ignorance and their cruelty are too unbearable. Let these people rot in their shame.
Alumette but your happy to kill cows, pigs etc because of their genes, to feed a growing overfeed population. I accept I like a good fry, I don't need it but I know many animals are killed to feed western lifestyles.
I also accept that any dog deemed dangerous by the courts by character should be put down.
gw - you're comparing apples to oranges. This isn't about killing animals for meat or about the American obesity epidemic, but about putting down an animal because it "looks" like a dangerous breed when it's, according to the family, an American bull-dog/Labrador mix who NEVER attacked anyone. There were offers on the table to re-locate this animal and this council chose to ignore that.
What brave, upstanding members of the community.
It may well be that in the eyes of God, those members of the Belfast City Council have less of a right to live than that single dog. I wonder if they would be so quick to uphold the death sentence if a law was passed making all Irish politicians dangerous breeds, and subject to lethal injection.
Capital punishment is Illegal in Northern Ireland.
That barbaric practice is reserved to countries like Yemen, North Korea, Iran, china, USA, Saudi Arabia, sudan etc.
(Poster pretending momentary stupidity as to historic reasons some folks don't find Belfast-NIreland such a peaceful travel destination [hint - IRA] and how assinine this could make GW10's comment appear in a certain light)
Excepting those incidents where innocent citizens happen to be caught in the crossfires of a public debacle like this one, say? GW10 - let me instruct you on the basic structure of some families and how they might fit into a neighborhood, community, etc: You see, when you raise a pup, feed it, provide its everything, love it and share its love in return, it is a member of YOUR family while you are a member of your community and so on. Thus, by extension the dog is a member of the community, a citizen (and based on all accounts in this instance, a very good one).
And by all means, refer to my other post here, earlier on this subject. Be warned however; it is rife with Feelings which may be distasteful to you, I understand. k
GW10:
No, it's not. They just gave Lennox a Capital Punishment, didn't they?
gw- apparently capital punishment is alive and well in backwoods Ireland.
I certainly won't be spending any tourist dollars visiting Belfast, but is there anything else we can do to impact its economy? Does Belfast export anything to the US? I think we should now make every effort we can to make Belfast regret what was done to Lennox by a handful of ignorant people who would rather kill an innocent dog than admit they were wrong.
the U.S. and Irish governments have official exchanges in areas such as medical research and education. In May 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama visited Ireland
The US J-1 visa program, for example, remains a popular means for Irish youths to work temporarily in the United States.[3]
OK take your uneducated Butts back to Ireland and kiss your J-1 Visa's good bye.
Also did the president know about this when he visited them in May 2011?
Thanks. Never thought of the immigration angle, but I already oppose additional immigration to the US (both legal and illegal) since so many Americans are out of work these days. I will certainly continue to write to my reps in opposition.
I hope all you pit bull owners are concerned with all human life, including the people who have been killed by pit bulls and/or maimed. Also, you always state it's the owners' fault, yet many of these dogs have attacked innocent children, adults, grandparents, neighbors, etc., with no facts showing the owners caused the pit bull or like breed to attack. In fact many of these homes were stated to be "loving" homes to the pets, and the owners said they don't understand what happened. Yet you people state for a "fact" that it's always the owner's fault.
Maybe if you were as concerned with human life and injuries, you would regard the statistics and get a smaller or friendlier dog, but you buy the breed anyway.
I've had experience with these type of dogs, and other aggressive dogs who show no respect for other humans in their neighborhood. Dogs are left out to bark at night, to attack and kill anyone that are in their vicinity. You want love and understanding, give it to your fellow neighbors who don't deem it necessary to own an aggressive dog capable of killing them at any second and would like to live in peace in their own area.
Truthin--this dog never attacked or hurt anyone. Do you judge humans by their looks? Would you like to be murdered because *I* thought you looked like you were capable of hurting someone? I would like to think we had gotten past ignorance like yours, but sadly not.
That would be relevant if the dog were a Pitt-Bull mix but he was not he also had never harmed anyone before. I do think it is the owner and not the breed, because my Autistic son was the ONLY ONE my best friends pit bull would let come near her puppies. My dad had a Rot weighed 140 pounds my mom was babysitting my 10 month old son and fell asleep my son went out the doggie door to the pool and my dad's dog got my baby before he could make it to the pool and held him till Dad found him. She (tashia the dog)was howling for someone to come and help. I gave that dog a steak dinner that night and told my mom I'd pay for a sitter from now on.So it is how you raise your dog not the breed it's self.
@Truthin....
I've owned dogs over 55 years including pit bulls and I say you are full of crap and don't know what you are talking about....all you are doing is propagating even more ignorance. BTW, not to let the facts get in the way of your rant, the dog in question wasn't a pit bull, get a clue.
For you santamonious "pit" bull owners. I grew up with dogs and cats also, but they weren't pit bulls. I have experienced pit bulls up close, so I know what I'm talking about, at least from my experience and what I've seen and read. This "full of crap" and simplistic comments made by most pit bull owners is disgusting, putting it mildly. Don't tell me what I've experienced or other people. What you've experienced you can relate, what I've experienced you can't relate. Do you understand that simple fact. It doesn't matter, it still remains a fact.
I've seen pit bull owners' comments on the internet. They are violent, a lot, abusive, a lot. I don't know what came first, the owners' aggressiveness and intolerance or the pit bulls'. I've seen the look in the eyes of several of the pit bulls I've come across, not a friendly or understanding look. I've seen them pull their "owner" along under a strain, basically dragging the owner along, from whatever they're being restrained with. I've seen the hatred in their eyes for no reason, observed their violent barking and ready to kill attitude just by being in a close proximity, and "protecting" "their" turf. Are all pit bulls like this, maybe not. Are all chimpanzees violent, maybe not, but they can be without provocation. There are other aggressive dogs like the doberman, I've noticed. But I've seen the news, do you pit bull owners read of the death and maimings going on. A woman who belonged to the dog society and for the protection of pit bulls "reputation", slaughtered by her pit bull in California, her "husband" held no animosity toward the pit bull, and was going to bury them the same day in a "ceremony" of some kind. The pit bull owners blamed the woman and/or the family. Many children killed or maimed by pit bulls, the comments afterward by owners - this was the gentlest of dogs, I never thought this would happen. Same with grandparents, neighbors, innocent passers by, neighborhood acquaintances, mail people - pit bull owners' response on the internet, it was the pit bull owners fault, the baby must have done something, never do they blame the pit bull; it's pathetic.
Are some of you "Christian"; if you are, the humans are the ones that have "souls". I'm not commenting on this story as much as I am about "pit bulls" in general from what I've observed and pit bull owners' comments on the internet. Many of you say you would basically do away with the whole city council, basically killing all these human "souls".
I'd like to hope that none of you were among the crazies who condemned all Muslims so many times on this "site" because they were Muslim. I'd also like to hope that you condemned the torture and any other atrocities committed against Iraquis in a false crime against peace, and other atrocities in other countries. That you cared for those human "souls" as much as you "care" for your "pit bulls".
And one of you mentioned Ghandi quote about animals. The one about the way a nation treats its animals. Ghandi was a vegetarian. He wasn't talking about pit bulls, but all animals, including the ones that many pit bull owners eat. One person in this thread compared it to "apples and oranges", and tried to say a dog is not an eaten commodity basically like other innocent animals, cows, etc. In some nations they do or have eaten dogs, so that's not true. Also, do you understand the slaughter of innocent animals here, the horrendous couping of chickens or pigs that are forced to live in their own filth and then are butchered. Do you pit bull owners protest those deaths like you do "pit bulls'" and are you ready to "condemn" the people that allow this behavior towards these innocent animals.
A woman who lived in a California city and was married for forty to fifty years was brutally attacked and maimed by a neighbors pit bulls while in her own yard, lost her arm, suffered other major injuries, then died a slow aganizing death while her friend and spouse of 40 to 50 years had to watch over a period of months. Did you protest that, do you understand or begin to comprehend the pain of losing a soulmate of a lifetime or just "blame the owner" and "excuse the dog".
Any life lost is senseless; I can understand why some areas ban "dangerous" dogs, and I can understand with the statistics released about the maiming and senseless killings by "pit bulls" why they've been listed as "dangerous" in general.
Truthin:
The same could be said for German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Pressa Canarios, and Dobermans. The fact is that whenever one of these dogs becomes popular, the number of violent incidences with those dogs increases. The Pit Bull is a popular dog. If bred and trained responsibly, then there would be fewer incidents.
Get a clue. American bulldog = pitbull. You can put lipstick on a pig but it is still a pig. Please. The world does not need any more stupid people and their dangerous dogs. Just stop breeding them. More and more municipalities are banning dangerous dogs and that is a good thing.
What the world doesn't need are ignorant morons such as yourself. We should ban the biased and terminally stupid people like you.
RckyMtnMike:
Wow. Your ignorance astounds me. Bulldogs are not Pit Bulls. They aren't even closely related.
In this case it seems the dog should not have been put down since it was not a pitbull. But to those people claiming that all breeds are the same, you are absolutely nuts. Different breeds have differing physical and behavioral characteristics; please read up on the subject.
By all means be upset that this dog was killed, but at least be honest about the differences between breeds.
(and note I made no claim about any one breed of dog)
I think the argument, at least mine is, that how an animal is raised, socialized and maintained has more to do with behavior than the breed type. As you correctly point out, different breeds have different characteristics. My dog growls all the time when we're playing tug of war, does that mean he's aggressive simply because he is growling and he is a Rottweiler? I personally believe the larger problem is the tendency to generalize behavior based on breed, race or even gender, and that extends not only to the animal world, but the human one as well.
there is a way to eliminate all these man made KILLERS. congress needs to pass a bill that gives pitbull owners x amount of time to bring their dog for a special shot at their local pet hospital. this shot will sterilize male and female from ever producing again , '' yet still function normally. '' they will live out their lives to it's fullest , and never have to worry about being put down for being a pit. this is humane , '' not like what they've done to LENNOX. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are about 150 breeds of dog, and only a handful that are usually found attacking people, other pets, and other dogs. it is a known fact that pit bulls are one of these breeds (how many beagles have attacked and killed their owners?). Belfast and other towns with these laws are right - there is no need for these vicious animals, there are plenty of other breeds. And, for all of you defending the dog and attacking people and governments for these rules, will you be the ones to apologize to a dog attack victim, or their family, after the next attack??
Many dog breeds are not meant for first-time owners. Pit Bulls are one of those breeds. If trained and socialized properly (not used as a guard dog), then there would be no problems. Pit Bulls are not naturally vicious towards people. Get your facts straight.
Also, Lennox was NOT a Pit Bull. The Council based their judgements upon MEASUREMENTS. They should have used the dog's DNA to determine what breed it was, but they didn't.
The fact of the matter is they are not more prone to be dangerous. They are more likely to be trained by stupid people to be dangerous because of their body type. It is we humans who decided to exploit them and now punish them because we did so. Which is absolutely horrendous. It is no different then if you said the Irish tend to have a temper so we will take some of them and train them to be guards, attack, and kill. Then turn around and say ok now that some of those Irish know how to kill they might be dangerous so lets just get rid of all the Irish or anyone who looks Irish. How Ridiculous.
EazyD:
Right, because name-calling proves you have a valid point to make. You don't know the breed so keep your mouth shut.
We domesticated these animals so we are collectively responsible for them. What a waste and does Ireland really need the bad karma at this point? This may not be against the law but it is a morally bankrupt decision.
The Belfast City council is comprised of woefully ignorant cowards, much like the idiots on this site that put forth the notion that it's primarily the breed of animal and not the owner that is responsible for animal behavior and that put bulls are inherently dangerous. Any dog can be dangerous depending on how it was raised and is being treated. Shameful is what it is and my sincere hope is that every sleeping moments of the a-holes who made and implemented this decision to destroy this animal are consumed by nightmares of their loved ones being discriminated against and then put down.
Thank you MSNBC for your coverage of Lennox's murder by the Belfast City Clownsil. They have been answering the phones lately and making animal noises, according to reports of Lennox advocates calling to ask for clemency. Lennox, who was DNA tested, microchipped, vaccinated, licensed and registered; who always wore a muzzle when out and who spent most of his ;ife behind the family's iron gates and six foot tall concrete walls, was confiscated by use of a tape measure.
He was NOT anti-social, there are pictures in circulation of him PLAYING with the dog warden upon his initial incarceration. But however, later he appeared to be syffering from stress mange and isolation. He was wrongly taken, wrongly kept, and wrongly denied the opportunity to emigrate.
This is typical behavior from animal Control, a dumping ground career for far too many injurious, turf and ego warped wannabe cops who are dishonest and cruel.
For this poor dog, the barabarism fo supposedly civilized nations echoes into the ages, and I have feeling he will be remembered for many years longer than any of his murderers.
LENNOX LIVES IN Every PETITION AND EVERY ACTION TAKEN TOWARDS JUSTICE AND COMPASSION FOR OUR CANINE FRIENDS. MAY THE MURDERERS FEEL LENNOX'S AND HIS FAMILY's PAIN IN SPADES. LENNOX LIVES!
LENNOX LIVES IN Every PETITION AND EVERY ACTION TAKEN TOWARDS JUSTICE AND COMPASSION FOR OUR CANINE FRIENDS. MAY THE MURDERERS FEEL LENNOX'S AND HIS FAMILY's PAIN IN SPADES. LENNOX LIVES!
lovely display of ignorance on this thread. any breed of dog can be dangerous. jack russels and pomeranians have killed children. any dog or cat for that matter can be a danger to small child. labs and goldens are one of your top biters. small dogs rip the faces off of children and adults quite frequently. a greyhound riped the face off the first face transplant person. you are a danger to yourself if you think only "pit bulls" can harm. also there are about 25 breeds that fall under the pit bull term, not including thousands of mixes, as Lennox was.
pits have been used in search and rescue, and are wonderful therapy dogs due to their love of people.
this was a witch hunt pure and simple. i hope we don't start judging groups of people based on their looks, etc. but instead, in the content of ones character. and simply put, if you treat a dog with respect, love and a structured environment you will have a good dog; you treat a dog poorly, you will have a poorly behaved dog.
screw people that hate on pitbulls. you never hear these dogs unless it's a story about how they bit somebody. They are the most loyal breed around. I have had them my whole life. I am 4 foot 11 and weigh 112 lbs. I have 3 of them just loving life at my house. it's just a mental thing. granted there will be exceptions, but pits are the best family dogs.
Adopted a puppy from the Humane Society a few months ago, brought it to my parents place, they received a notice that we need to get rid of it since one of our lovely neighbors told the HOA it was an "Illegal Dog". It is amazing what people bIItch about when they are on a power trip. (A. dog not registered to my parents house b. Humane Society doesn't rescue pit bulls) My past dog got viciously attacked by a Golden Retriever, cost us an arm a a leg to get the poor dog fixed. Don't judge a book by its cover
If you and your dog have ever been cornered by a couple of pit bulls who were not deterred in the slightest by a can of "Diva Defense" mace you know what scared feels like. We crouched behind a storm door at someone house who was not home until the police came. The officer had to shoot one of them because he did not back off even with police grade mace. I have cats that are 18 & 14 years old and my Pug-a-poo Bella.
I feed 20 feral cats in the neighborhood so I do love animals. I would not let animal control put down a cat that was not rabid even though he bit my 4 year old that took 5 stitches and a complete series of rabies shots. But - when it comes to a pit bull for me it's hard to grieve their loss.
I tear up over dead animals on the highway even bags when I think it is a pet, but I did not flinch when the officer shot that dog. I would have been less afraid of a person.
A Pomeranian bit a child to death. Golden Retrievers have bitten many people in a vicious manner. All dogs are capable of aggression. Sorry for your situation, but you are stereotyping. Not all dogs are alike. You should feel sad for Lennox because he was not a Pit Bull. Not even a Pit Bull mix, mind you.
EazyD:
This isn't a thread for cat people like you.
the article had this:
“@BelfastCC are defending their decision to murder this ‘dangerous dog, but the world knows different.'”
whoever you are who said this, I consider myself part of "the world" as you so carelessly pointed out, and I think your type of dog is a human-bred danger machine. these things don't occur naturally in the wild.
As part of "the world" who you claims love this type of dog - you need to know the you couldn't be any further from anythiung resembling the truth - these are wished you utter - not facts.
I think EVERY one of these animals is suspicious, and should NEVER have happened.
so much for your painting everything a rosy shade of stupid.
....and I think you're the village idiot.
Mjolnir-889746 You're an idiot!