Councillors are asked to back Hank

Councillors are asked to back Hank

27 July 2016

LOCAL politicians will next week debate an animal welfare issue in the wake of publicity surrounding a dog which was seized from its owners by Belfast City Council.

Family pet Hank was confiscated last week under the Dogs (NI) Order following a complaint that he looked like a pit bull, and council officials are currently investigating whether the animal can be classed as a dangerous dog.

His owners, Leonard Collins (33) and Joanne Matthews (33), bought Hank about two years ago after being told by a friend that some pups were for sale. They claim that he was sold as a Staffie-Labrador cross.

Since the confiscation of the pet, there has been an enormous outcry from dog lovers across the country, some urging that the matter be sent to the Assembly and others asking for “mercy for Hank.”

At next Monday night’s meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council, Rowallane councillor Patrick Brown will table a motion for discussion on animal welfare in the wake of the incident in Belfast.

Ahead of the meeting, he explained the motion calls on the local authority to put on record its opposition to Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) — a law that bans or restricts certain types of dogs based on their appearance, usually because they are perceived as ‘dangerous’ breeds or types of dogs.

Councillor Brown explained that under BSL, local authority dog wardens are compelled to seize and destroy pit bulls or animals with pit bull like features. He said Hank was taken from his owners without notice, explaining they are not allowed to see him before he is euthanised.

“His owners are planning to launch a legal campaign to prove he is not a pit bull through genetic testing. However, genetic testing, particularly on mixed breeds such as Hank, can be very ineffective. Additionally, previous legal campaigns against council compliance with BSL have failed,” he continued.

“I was shocked to learn about this legislation which quite literally compels councils to kill innocent animals on the basis of their breeding. In my opinion, there is no such thing as bad dogs or vicious breeds, only bad owners. Laws should not condemn entire breeds just because historically pit bulls have been bred as fighting dogs by unscrupulous owners.”

Councillor Brown added: “Add to that the fact no consideration is given to the dog’s actual temperament and the difficulties of genetic testing, this legislation is clearly not in the public interest and I do not want Newry, Mourne and Down Council to to be bound by it. The onus is now on legislators at the Assembly to repeal this law and I hope that this motion will demonstrate our council’s opposition to the law in its present form.”