by Mark Kumpf
July
11, 2012
When a Good Dog is No More
Recent events in Belfast
have demonstrated once again that breed specific legislation provides no
protection for the public or the animals as government supporters cling to
this outdated paradigm. Belfast City Council, fortified by“expert” testimony
and under some questionable circumstances spent two years in legal wrangling
to eventually euthanize a dog which had bitten no one, caused no public
scene, nor exhibited any of the behaviors that would warrant such action. In
a country filled with past hatred and strife, where people died for living
in the “wrong” neighborhood or following the“wrong” religion, it hurts the
soul to see that same hatred and discrimination held so strongly as
justification for the inexplicable euthanization of a family pet.
As
an animal control officer and professional with more than twenty years in
the field, there have been many dangerous dog cases that warranted
euthanization as an outcome with which I have been involved. Even in those
cases, there have often been alternatives, plea arrangements and even the
equivalent of the“call from the governor” sparing the life of dogs ordered
euthanized. Arguably, a dog which has bitten, disfigured, maimed or killed a
person should not be the benefactor of such a decision but that was not the
case in Belfast. Absent those deeds, the Belfast City Council relied upon
the animal equivalent of Cassandra to predict the future for this dog. Would
that their expert had offended Apollo and been cursed to have his
predictions ignored.
More disturbing, and chillingly a reminder of
past practices, the“prisoner” was never afforded any visitors, no outside
neutral observers nor even given the opportunity to spend a few minutes with
the family who had cherished the dog for years. Even condemned criminals, no
matter how heinous their crimes may have been, have the benefit of human
compassion in those final moments. The family was denied even receiving the
remains to inter, instead being advised that at some point they would
receive an envelope with “some”ashes. How callous and unkind. For those of
us in government service, transparency provides the best defense against
allegations of malfeasance. In this case, the Belfast City Council has
opposed such transparency at every turn. In the end, the actions shed doubt
on whether the dog was still alive at the time of the ruling or, in the
alternative, that the care had been deficient leaving a living horror story
to face the end, scared, alone and suffering.
Much has been said
about the constant stream of threats against the dog wardens and government
officials connected with the case. These included acts of physical violence
and death threats. One important point to note is that the family and owners
of the dog were never accused of making, condoning or endorsing any of those
threats; however, it was used against them as further justification that
their dog was dangerous. No matter what legal system you live under, it is a
miscarriage of justice to hold an innocent party accountable for the actions
of others beyond their control. Threats and acts of violence serve no
purpose and may, in this case, have contributed to the very death that they
sought to avoid by creating an unwinnable adversarial relationship between
the dog owners and Belfast City Council.
Anyone that has lost a pet
to old age, disease, accident or injury shares that pain and emptiness which
nothing can fill. Losing a dog to a bureaucracy creates a pain that has no
answers making it exponentially worse. Being denied even the chance to say
goodbye makes that pain unending and unrelenting. Belfast City Council has
hurt more peoples’ lives than their claimed“potentially dangerous dog” ever
did in its life. That is as much a case of cruelty as any I have ever
brought before a judge.
I never met Lennox, but I have met thousands
like him. I am sure that in some persons’ eyes I am as bad as the dog
wardens and the Belfast City Council for doing the job that I do each day
but as I sit and write this, I can with clear conscience state that I have
never been “those people” and they do NOT represent the thousands of animal
care, control and welfare professionals or elected officials here or abroad.
There are compassionate and caring people who constantly seek to make the
world better for people and their pets. With those thousands I too grieve
for Lennox & his family. I hope for what Lennox stood and still stands for
in our society. Justice that is blind to appearance. Justice that is equal
for all. If those that hate the outcome as much as I do turn that strong
emotion to a commitment, we can insure that Lennox will be the LAST dog to
die for what he looked like.
A good dog is no more…
