There were thousands of people protesting his death. There were viable alternatives to killing him. When a Belfast City Council member is elected, it is their job to serve their public. Was that the case last night? I can't believe the people of Belfast would support their leaders for killing a dog that was made to be a scapegoat for a law that has had shaky origins from the beginning.
The Belfast City Council is not a small group. In fact, there are 51 people who represent the council from different areas of the city. They all belong to various political parties and have a vast age range represented. Yet not one of those 51 people could speak on behalf of the people that elected them about how wrong this was.
The First Minister couldn't even understand their decision and asked for Lennox to be re-homed. Victoria Stilwell, a world-renowned trainer offered them the chance to have Lennox leave their country for good, and it was disregarded. She didn't give up. She even waited on their doorstep and refused to leave until her case was heard. Yet it fell on deaf ears. Is this what the people of Belfast, Northern Ireland wanted? I think not. It is clear that the council members chose the path of cowardice to shield their egos.
Lennox was the brave one. Even when a trainer visited him in confinement he was shaking from fear. Yet day after day, he carried on. That's what dogs do. Yet, they said Lennox had a personality disorder in order to justify his execution. As Mahatma Gandhi said:
The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
Helping The Scars To Heal
Too many have been deeply hurt by this injustice. The 12 year-old daughter who relied on Lennox to help her handle her disabilities better lost her best friend. Her family who brought Lennox into their lives as a puppy, lost a family member. This was a social crime that became political because of blatant ignorance. Lennox may be gone, but the events of the past two years prove that you fight for the ones you love. No one did it better than the family that loved and adored him. My thoughts and prayers go out to them during this difficult time.Gandhi also said:
An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.The only action the City Council took was to show how strong their stubborn streak really was. This tragedy was 100 percent preventable. I hope the people of Belfast who are distraught by this international catastrophe remember that when the next election happens.
Victoria Stilwell said it best when I was watching her with Jane Velez Mitchell on Headlines News last night.
It should be about the deed and not the breed.
While I will never know the answer to the question Was it really worth it? I do know that there is one thing for sure. We will never forget!
Rest in peace sweet boy. Your life was special and nothing will ever change that.
Let's Discuss!
I'd love to hear your thoughts as well.It's All Related!
When BSL Laws FailDangerous Dog Bans
Aside from Lennox's unfortunate fate, I worry about the 12-year-old girl who relied on him as a therapy dog. I assume she knows what happened to him...how will her condition be affected by the triple blow of losing her companion, his needless death, and the controversy around it all?
ReplyDeleteI know that she had two other dogs in addition to Lennox, but the poor girl will grow up knowing that the government was responsible for the loss of her dog. Needless death is right. They have twisted and distorted this to cover themselves yet they're not fooling anyone but themselves. Thanks for sharing your perspective. :)
DeleteStill think of Lennox all the time, and wonder about how the family is holding up after such a long painful drawn out act of abuse and disregard against them and poor Lennox by the BCC. I do still hope that this group of hateful uncaring people who murdered Lennox get voted out of office. They don't belong anywhere near making fair and balanced decisions because they are not capable. They lack the wisdom and depth of compassion that true leaders possess. Sending my love to you Lennox where ever you are.
ReplyDeleteThe story itself is just so sad. I think of him too. I'm just glad he's in a safer place than he was and I hope the voters remember the stance the BCC took during this terrible time. I think of him and think that he's an international symbol because of their ignorance. He's a treasure who will never be forgotten. Thanks for writing in. :)
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