Lennox

This disgusts me to no end.  How can humans be so cruel?  Why does he have to be killed when there are others in the world who are willing to take him and give him a good life?  

Save Lennox Facebook Page
Save Lennox petition
Save Lennox on Twitter
A Belfast families pet dog Lennox who was being trained as an assistance dog for their disabled daughter is currently on death row and is expected to be put to death next week only because he is a Pitbull.  That's right, he never hurt anyone, never attacked anyone, never did anything wrong but be born with Pitbull breeding.  Lennox the dog was seized by Belfast City Council officials in May 2010, and has spent the last two years locked up while his owner and supporters fought a legal battle to try to save his life.  His owner indicated she will not be pursuing the case at the Supreme Court in London.

Northern Ireland's First Minister has said he is “very unhappy” after a court upheld a decision to sentence a family pet to death. Lennox the dog will be put down after the Court of Appeal rejected a last-ditch plea to spare his life in June. It upheld an earlier decision that the animal is a banned American-type pitbull terrier, which is deemed dangerous. 

Peter Robinson joined the debate, after the June 12th ruling prompted a furious backlash from around the world. “As a dog lover I am very unhappy with the outcome of this case. I was involved in a similar case before in Castlereagh,” the DUP leader said. “In the Castlereagh case we succeeded in stopping it going to court. As soon as it does it is out of the hands of politicians.” But despite his unhappiness, Mr Robinson appeared to accept the decision, saying: “Politicians have no power to interfere with decisions of the courts,” he added. 

Thousands of messages of support for the dog are continuing to pour in, with some websites and protest pages urging people to boycott Belfast after the verdict. Some claimed Northern Ireland was portrayed to the world as a ‘country of ignorance’ and vowed never to visit the region. 

South African supporters said they were prepared to offer Lennox a new life. Fresh threats against members of staff at Belfast City Council have also surfaced on some pages. A spokesperson declined to comment on the remarks, but said any intimidation was “totally unacceptable”. 

Friends of Lennox, which is based in Durban, South Africa, offered to pay for rehoming after reading about his plight. Group member Monica Rogers told the Belfast Telegraph: “We are a group of people in South Africa who would be prepared to adopt Lennox and bring him to South Africa where he will be placed with an adoptive family, all expenses paid.” 

Jennifer Chatelain, from Dallas in Texas, said she was “saddened and appalled” by the decision. “You, as a country, have the ability to show the world that Belfast is not a follower and that Belfast cares about its animals. “Instead, you have portrayed to the world a country of ignorance and hate for animals and that you do not care or have compassion at all. “And trust me when I say that the whole world is watching. We may not have been able to save Lennox, but we will not forget him and what you all have done, and we will not forgive either. “I have always wanted to visit Northern Ireland and have dreamed of a trip there. After this turn of events, I can assure you that you will never see a penny from me, or anyone that I know.” 

Kay Robinson, from Louisiana in the United States, also pleaded for mercy. “I'm begging you not to kill Lennox – he has done nothing wrong,” she said. “This is so unfair and so very wrong.” 

Two lower courts had already ruled he should be destroyed, but the case went to the Court of Appeal after lawyers for Lennox’s owner, Caroline Barnes, argued the dog wasn’t dangerous. However, three senior judges dismissed Ms Barnes' appeal and sometime within the next week Lennox will be put to death.