Anyone who's been a long-time pet owner knows the heartbreak of having a pet die. Sometimes pets die of old age, sometimes pets die in accidents or because of congenital defects, and even sometimes from previous abuse. We rescuers especially dread that.
But very rarely are any of our pets taken and held by our government for two years because of their breed alone, then executed.
This is about a dog who, because he was a bull/terrier mix, was executed in Northern Ireland yesterday.
I only "heard" about this on Facebook yesterday, and I haven't seen anything about this yet on here, so on this Woozle Wednesday, I thought it appropriate to let you know about this horrible tragedy.
Lennox was a mix of pit bull and terrier breeds, a mutt owned by Carolyn Barnes in Northern Ireland. Sadly, in Northern Ireland and the British territories, pit bulls and bully-breeds, apparently, are banned. While no one seems to dispute the owner's claim that Lennox never bit anyone, the government stated that he was unpredictable and dangerous, and that they destroyed him to protect public safety.
I can't imagine that kind of pain, having to wait and fight and try to save your pet's life for two straight years, and then not even being able to claim his body.
For Lennox's family, nothing but love and my best wishes. For dogs like him, I will fight to end breed-specific legislation.
Gods bless Lennox and his people.
My Mother's Wake 22 by ~Windthin on deviantART
Freya, Remy, and Kayla by ~Windthin on deviantART
--most facts taken from "Real Men Are Kind To Animals" and the LA Times