21/01/2008
Freed 'Non Pit Bull' Dog Destroyed
One of the two pet dogs 'freed' by a Belfast court last week has had to be put down.
The magistrate had ruled that 62-year-old Irene Chambers’ pet dogs were not in fact pit bulls and should therefore be returned to her after a year in kennels.
However, on Saturday the younger dog, Roxy, became aggressive and attacked the other animal and was put down at Mrs Chambers' request.
She claimed the dog was a "friendly" seven-month-old pup when taken from her a year ago under the legislation, but changed while kept at a pound hired by Belfast City Council.
Both sides involved in the court case last night joined calls for immediate action to be taken by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) to change the law.
Belfast City Council and the USPCA have consistently called for the law to be amended.
The USPCA said it could be changed simply and quickly by an Order in council.
Mrs Chambers' dogs Hooch and Roxy were returned on Friday but after observing them and taking advice from animal behaviourist Dr Roger Mugford Mrs Chambers took the "heartbreaking" decision to have Roxy put down.
The two dogs were held at the old safari park near Coleraine, which is now leased to the USPCA and run by charity Wildlife NI.
Mrs Chambers said that she was angry her pets had been taken from her for so long: "They caused irreversible damage to Roxy because she was kept in solitary confinement.
"It was heartbreaking to have her put down but I was brought up to be a responsible dog owner and just couldn't take the chance that she might attack someone else's dog.
"I would ask the council to let Hooch live out his days in peace after what he's been put through in the last year," she said.
Mrs Chambers said she hoped the case would spark an urgent Assembly review of the law under which she was prosecuted.
The magistrate had ruled that 62-year-old Irene Chambers’ pet dogs were not in fact pit bulls and should therefore be returned to her after a year in kennels.
However, on Saturday the younger dog, Roxy, became aggressive and attacked the other animal and was put down at Mrs Chambers' request.
She claimed the dog was a "friendly" seven-month-old pup when taken from her a year ago under the legislation, but changed while kept at a pound hired by Belfast City Council.
Both sides involved in the court case last night joined calls for immediate action to be taken by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) to change the law.
Belfast City Council and the USPCA have consistently called for the law to be amended.
The USPCA said it could be changed simply and quickly by an Order in council.
Mrs Chambers' dogs Hooch and Roxy were returned on Friday but after observing them and taking advice from animal behaviourist Dr Roger Mugford Mrs Chambers took the "heartbreaking" decision to have Roxy put down.
The two dogs were held at the old safari park near Coleraine, which is now leased to the USPCA and run by charity Wildlife NI.
Mrs Chambers said that she was angry her pets had been taken from her for so long: "They caused irreversible damage to Roxy because she was kept in solitary confinement.
"It was heartbreaking to have her put down but I was brought up to be a responsible dog owner and just couldn't take the chance that she might attack someone else's dog.
"I would ask the council to let Hooch live out his days in peace after what he's been put through in the last year," she said.
Mrs Chambers said she hoped the case would spark an urgent Assembly review of the law under which she was prosecuted.
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