Despite the efforts of campaigner Zara Duncan, pitbull-type dog Max spent Christmas and New Year in kennels awaiting a decision on his future.
The puppy had been found abandoned in the Dundonald area early in December and, with no owners coming forward, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council had planned to euthanise him, despite Zara’s offer of foster care until Max’s breed was officially determined.
The council is holding Max until he matures enough to determine his official breed.
Zara said she is dismayed that the council is continuing to appeal for Max’s owners to come forward.
The USPCA and the RSPCA have jointly urged the council to rethink its continued incarceration of the dog and allow him to be released to a new home, but it’s understood that a meeting to discuss Max’s future, scheduled for this week, has now been postponed.
At a council meeting in the week before Christmas, dog experts told councillors that Max would need to be at least nine months old before any breed could be properly determined.
The council did confirm that “arrangements for additional assessment are currently being made”, but added that there would be “no further comment until this process is complete”.
Zara said she has already sourced a “forever home” for Max and has again appealed for his release from kennels.
“We have lined up a forever family for Max, a home that has been home-checked by a leading, registered charity alongside USPCA and a character reference from a local vet to back up the owners’ suitability,” she said.
“The council still refuses to release Max and instead would rather release him to the owner who abandoned him. How does that promote welfare?
“Max’s breed has now been confirmed by his original owners and the breeder. Max is of staffy/French bulldog parentage.”
Previously, the council said it has been “carefully considering the circumstances” surrounding the abandoned dog, which was collected on December 10.
“Wardens deemed Max as a banned breed,” Zara said. “He has remained in kennels, missing out on crucial puppy development time and, above all, love.
“Max’s date of birth is confirmed as May 2024, meaning Max is seven months old.
“Wardens would have assessed and deemed him of type one month ago, meaning a six-month-old pup, still growing and still to reach a state of physical maturity, was assessed and typed by wardens.
“This contradicts DEFRA [Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs] and UK police advice which insists a dog must reach physical maturity to be assessed accurately. This, at a minimum, is nine months old.
“Max’s parents are of two legal breeds: Staffordshire bull terrier and French bulldog,” she added. “There are credible sources and photos to prove this.
“As the council has classed Max as a banned breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act, the council will only release Max to his original owner or breeder. This could be one of the only ways to save this pup’s life.
“A framework put forward by USPCA and Mid-Antrim Animal Sanctuary is one route that we urge the council to explore in the event that Max’s breeder or owner cannot come forward.
“This would allow Max to reach physical maturity in the safety of a vetted foster home. It is this home which would then bring Max to his independent assessment when he reaches maturity and follow through with the exemption process, ultimately becoming Max’s legal owners.
“The council has the chance to pioneer a framework which could be used across councils to save lives.”