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Our friends, Serena and Soda from Pretty Fluffy, are on a mission with "The 13 Project", a Pretty Fluffy initiative that involves performing 13 acts of kindness towards animals before 2013. They have thrown out the gauntlet which we are more than happy to accept!
Read MoreI like most of Avril Lavigne's music. In fact I think I own all of her cd's. I had forgotten about this particular song until I heard it the other day on the radio. Im sure it has a different meaning for most people but it has always made me think of the poor homeless dogs wandering the streets or the dogs locked away in shelters.
Have a listen from my perspective and see if it doesn't make you want to foster or, at the very least, visit your local shelter to give a little attention to a scared, lonely dog.
There are so many frightened hearts waiting for someone to reach out to them, to assure them everythings going to be ok, a hero if you will. You could be that hero for one dog!
It's a rare person who hasn't heard the devestating story of Lennox, an American Bulldog/Lab mix, who was held in captivity at a secret location since he was seized by the Belfast dog wardens under the Dangerous Dog Act in May of 2010 because he looked like a pit bull and had the measurements of a pit bull type.
His family fought the BCC for two years to save him to no avail. The BCC issued a statement on the morning of July 11, claiming that the dog had been humanely killed.
The BCC denied the family’s request to say goodbye to him, to receive his lifeless body for burial, or to even receive his collar.
Many are now wondering if Lennox was still alive the day of his confirmed death since the BCC has never offered any proof that he was. The last pictures seen of him were months earlier. The BCC further denied the family’s request for their own vet to examine Lennox after he showed signs of mistreatment with an obvious injured neck, a bloodied back paw, and hair falling out in patches over large areas of his body. He was reportedly being medicated for stress and depression.
Dr. Leigh Foster aka DJ Ice, creator and host of The Pawz Cauze Show, recently claimed she had received information that Lennox was found dead in his kennel months ago:
“Ok, I have been sitting on some information given to me by an unidentified informant. I don’t know if it is true but it would explain A LOT about this case. If it is true, you all will be furious as I, but if not, then that means we can’t trust anything that comes out of Northern Ireland/UK. Here it goes:
“I was contacted shortly after I ended the show early in the morning on the 11th. The informant gave me information that I don’t know if it is the truth but I am releasing to you and hopefully we can get to the bottom of the truth. Please know that this is not from ME, I am just the messenger. This person stated that the shelter who kept Lennox hidden from the world went into his kennel one morning to give him his medication for kennel stress, food, and water. The informant stated that Lennox was found dead and the shelter panicked. They supposedly contacted BCC to see what they should do and they were told to have the body cremated immediately and to destroy the collar, clean the kennel and remove all evidence that Lennox was even there. This supposedly took place several months prior to the last court date. The informant stated that BCC told the judge and that is why the judge upheld the other rulings. According to the informant, BCC never thought that this case would cause such an uproar and by the time it did, they feared what would happen if they openly admitted that Lennox was dead already.
“IF this is in fact the truth, it would explain a lot! Why no one was able to see him, why the family could not have the body back and why the collar is missing. The saddest fact of all is that we have no proof that this is a true statement because all evidence was destroyed. The only way we will know the truth is if the informant identifies him or herself and if the shelter has a strike of conscious and speaks out. It also explains why everyone who was supposed to be able to grant amnesty were unable to thus passing the callers and public around to other people causing confusion and heightened anger.
“So there you have it. This is all I know and I have no idea who the person was. Sorry I can’t give you any more information. Know that I back you all up in this fight to know the truth. We owe it to the Barnes family and BCC owes it to the world to tell us what actually happened to Lennox.” - Excerpted from the North Country Gazette
When we can't get answers, rumors abound. This rumor seems to be gaining a life of its own as we seek answers only the BCC can provide as the world waits for the inquest into the senseless death of a dog who was loved by many. FACT OR FICTION? You decide.
It is always ok to have an opinion. In fact, an opinion is never wrong because it is what one believes to be true. I try to treat people as God would have me treat them. I try to respect each person’s point of view with an understanding that their beliefs may differ from mine. At times I agree to disagree.
I am a blogger which means my posts are as truthful as I can make them but they are biased since they surely reflect my opinion. I willingly put myself out there for the public to scrutinize with every post I write. I have so much respect for fellow bloggers who are doing the same thing. I have read a lot of amazing posts by some truly creative, talented, caring bloggers.
Just this week another blogger wrote a post recently concerning Lennox which was one of the most biased, negative posts I have ever read. She declared she was only reporting the facts, however those facts were so taken out of context as to change the truth. There were many comments disagreeing with this blogger who only heightened the rising anger with her callous responses. Reading her responses I got so angry I truly wanted to slap this woman.
What this blogger doesn’t seem to grasp is that Lennox is not just another story about a bad dog put down. It’s a story millions of people have followed about a dog who was tested over and over to prove he was dangerous yet continued to prove he was not. Lennox supposedly died a week ago today and I still get upset when I think about the monstrous way this dog and his family was treated. What this blogger does not realize is the wound is still too raw for so many who believed good would win over evil and this dog would live out a safe, happy life.
Right now many are in mourning for a dog they never met yet still felt a connection. Lennox is not about dogs that are dumped by their owners or overpopulated by breeders or even pit bulls in general. Lennox is about a family dog ripped from his home under the Dangerous Dog Act because of his measurements and, after two years of hell, was murdered even though there were other options available. Lennox is about the world coming together to fight for ONE dog because that ONE dog could be their dog.
Yes, Lennox is just a dog. Who had a family that dearly loved him. Kirby is just a dog. Who has a family that dearly loves him. There’s a thing going around FaceBook right now where people are replacing their profile pics with pictures of their dogs with the words “I Am Lennox” written across the bottom.
My Kirby could be Lennox…
Kirby is a three year old 15 lb dachshund yorkie mix. He has been socialized since a puppy attending many events with crowds and is very well trained. He knows many tricks and has earned his Good Canine Citizenship and Novice Rally Title. He is fearless always ready to try something new. He shows such gentleness with small children knowing to be calm and sweet.
One Saturday afternoon not long ago I was in the backyard with Kirby and one of our foster dogs when the gas guy came by to read my meter which is located inside the fenced backyard. For whatever reason Kirby became very aggressive and started barking and jumping up at him from the moment he entered the yard. He completely ignored my commands to stop and I had to grab him up in my arms. He drew blood with a nip through the man’s pant leg. I have never in three years seen him do this!
Sometimes I wonder if Kirby was picking up some sort of vibe from this man which made him think I was in danger? It doesn't really matter the reason because that one little bite could have turned my world upside down.
What if the authorities came and took him away? What if I could not see him for two years? What if I only saw a few pictures showing him living in horrible conditions? What if I only saw pictures of his shiny soft coat in patches and heard he had an injured neck and bloody paw? What if one day he was walked into a room that smelled of death? What if in the moments he took his last breaths he wondered why I never came for him? What if I couldn’t have his little lifeless body to properly bury? What if I couldn’t even have his collar, the one I bought just for him, to remember him by?
Yes, this is an exaggeration because nothing ever happened. Oh wait, something did happen. It happened to a 7 year old dog far away in Belfast, Ireland. The only difference was that dog never bit someone like Kirby did.
Everyone has an opinion. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What is not acceptable is flagrant disregard for people’s emotions in a highly emotional situation. Someone said, “Life’s not fair”. My response is, “So what are we gonna do about it”?
According to reports Lennox was murdered this past Wednesday, July 11, 2012, in Belfast, Ireland. His needless death has ignited a spark that has been festering for over two years. This "dangerous dog case" has sparked such controversy in the hearts of many setting the stage for those who would rally for his life and those who would support those who wanted him destroyed. In any event there is no room left for nuetrality. The end of the story is this is just the beginning. Each must now choose their side as a growing storm rumbles across the lands.
Breed Specific Legislation has been going strong for some time now throughout the world. It's nothing new. What is new is now there is a poster dog for everything wrong with BSL. No complaints, no bites, legally licensed as an American Bulldog/Lab. The world pleaded, celebrities and politicians joined in the protest, even the First Prime Minister of Ireland pled for his life. Cesar Millan, Jeff Coltenback, the Italian Ministers, and Victoria Stillwell, who was actually there in person that fateful day, all made earnest requests to rehome him to another country at their expense yet Belfast was committed to murdering Lennox supposedly for the crime of looking like a Pit Bull.
For the past two years I have followed this case where a healthy family pet was taken into custody because of his measurements and detained while his family battled for his life in an undeterred court system bent on his destruction. There are articles and posts all over the web for all to read the many details of this long court drama so I won't rehash the disturbing facts except to say, given the facts and expert witnesses, I naively thought Lennox would eventually be released.
What I want to focus on is the inhumane treatment this dog and his family suffered culminating in the most inhumane treatment a family should have to endure.
I write this as Kirby sleeps next to me without a care in the world because he knows he is safe from harm. Our current foster sleeps close to him. They are comfortable lying on a soft blanket in an air conditioned room. Their bellies are full from dinner. Toys lie scattered on the floor waiting should they want to play. I'm quite sure Lennox lived like this until two years ago when he was taken from his family and thrust into the dark legal system that would eventually take his life.
The truth will eventually come out, at which time I will either be vindicated for what I believe happened or I will have to admit I was wrong. The first thing that bothers me are the pictures leaked to the web showing his living quarters and deteriorating health. His family must have felt so wounded every time they saw these pictures knowing they couldn't comfort him or tend to his wounds.
The BCC had to be aware of these pictures and therefore had every opportunity to produce pictures showing Lennox in acceptable surroundings - a clean kennel, a soft bed, clean bowls of food and water. Before anyone says, "Have you seen how many dogs live in concrete kennels in shelters around the world?" I want to clarify that this dog had a family who, given the opportunity, would have provided these "luxuries". I sometimes wonder if they did send these items for their Len who never received them. Many, myself included, provide beds and toys to the local shelters where they ARE utilized for the dogs and cats in their care.
There are pictures of Lennox showing his coat deteriorating with missing patches of fur. There is testimony of an apparent neck injury and one of his back paws being covered in dried blood. Again, the BCC had every opportunity to show their regard for his well being in their care with pictures and reports by veterinarians tending to his health. I've read the family will be required to pay for his boarding. I'm sure they would have happily paid for veterinary care as well.
My final dismay is his "humane" death with no final goodbye from the ones he loved even though the family begged to be with him in his final moments. This is what truly breaks my heart. Before all of this he was a happy, loved family member for five years. Did he look in anticipation for a family member every time someone came to his kennel? Did he have a glimmer of hope that he was being taken to his family every time he was led from his kennel? Did he wonder, day after day, week after week, month after month, what he had done wrong for his family to throw him away? I've read that dogs seem to know they are about to be put down so I wonder if he gave up in those last moments knowing he would never see his family or home again. Being a dog, he had no way of knowing his loved ones were fighting for his life every second of every day he was locked away.
There are so many dogs discarded every day by owners who no longer want them. I know this because I foster some of these dogs. When they come to my home they are always scared and withdrawn. It takes time to gain their trust, time to make them understand they are safe, time for them to learn to be happy dogs again.
I am fortunate to have Kirby's help. He is the ultimate therapy dog as he shows them how they should behave, how to play again, how to just be a dog again. He has a calm demeanor which they quickly adopt. Lennox also lived in a home where foster dogs came and went with never an altercation. It's been said he was a therapy dog for the Barnes young disabled daughter. Was he also a therapy dog for the fosters that entered his home?
The BCC refused to concede he was a dog worth saving. They were so determined to prove him an aggressive dangerous dog which I think is why the option of rehoming him was ignored. What if they had been proven wrong? Then again I wonder that if in their attempts to force him to become aggressive, something may have gone terribly wrong. Did Lennox finally snap and attack only to be beaten down?
Throughout this process I held hope that this council would admit how wrong they were. Today I now believe Lennox died long before July 11, 2012. I believe his body was disposed of a long time ago which would explain why the request to rehome him was denied, why the request for his body to be returned to the family for proper burial was denied, and why the request for the collar he was wearing was denied.
I do hope there is an inquisition. The Barnes family, and the world who fought so valiantly for him, deserve answers. When did Lennox actually die? How did he die? Who was there with him when he died? Why did not one council member step up to say "What we are doing is not right!"
A beloved family pet with no history of aggression was murdered because the law said he could be destroyed simply because he resembled a dangerous dog breed. My soul screams this is wrong on so many levels. I have chosen which side of the fence I am on. Have you chosen which side you are on?
This dog takes his job very seriously. I'm quite sure the pay is excellent!
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the day the United States was sucker punched from behind. A senseless act of terrorism that only served to make our country stronger. I remember the shock, the fear, the tears that fell for so many people, the ones who died, the ones left behind.
I personally didn't lose anyone on that day. America lost many on that day...
On that day there were many heroes who emerged. Among those heroes were more than 300 search and rescue dogs who worked at ground zero with their handlers to bring hope and/or closure to waiting loved ones...
The completed memorial consisting of two expansive reflecting pools in the footprints of the fallen buildings will open to family members for the first time on the 10th anniversary of the attacks.The memorial pools are nearly an acre each. Plaques line each pool, carved with the 2,983 names of those who died in the terror attacks Sept. 11, 2001. The memorial incorporated nearly 1,200 requests from victims' families to place the names near those of loved ones, co-workers and friends. It covers half of the 16-acre site, and contains 150 trees.
God bless America, my home sweet home.
Hi, I'm Debby and Kirby is my heart dog, my muse, my loyal companion! Join us as we journey through this thing called life. The Canine Chef Cookbook is our compilation of culinary delights and tips for dog lovers everywhere! Welcome to our little corner of the web!
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