I Have A Dream

"I Have a Dream" is a 17-minute public speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered on August 28, 1963, in which he called for an end to racism in the United States. Today we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

These are excerpts from that great speech. Times have changed and we are seeing a new day of acceptance and brotherly love for our fellow man regardless of skin color, heritage, or religion.

Then we look at the progress that has taken many steps back for dogs in our great land of freedom. Dogs who are hated simply because of the way they look. There are always stories in the news of the pit bull who attacked and ravaged its victim but there are also stories of the pit bull who saved someone.  Guess which ones get the most hype and attention? The frightening stories have led to bans in many cities and towns ripping these beloved pets from their crushed owners. 

Lennox, although living in Ireland, became the universal poster dog for something gone terribly wrong. A five year old dog who never harmed anyone or anything was taken from his family to be locked away from the world. Why? The ONLY reason was because, even though he was a bulldog/lab mix, he looked like a pit bull which are banned.  He was mistreated as over time he fell into bad health, he was isolated as he was denied any contact with loved ones, he was prodded to attack as he repeatedly tried to show forgiveness with his body language.  

For two years people from all over the world came together to fight for him to no avail.  The government in charge claimed the then seven year old dog was destroyed as intended while many believe he died some time earlier under their watch. Was it illness? Was he beaten down? Did he succumb to a broken heart? All questions that we will never have answers.

How many dogs have, and will, face this unwarranted hatred simply because of the way they look? Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is a law that bans or restricts certain types of dogs based only on their appearance because they are perceived as “dangerous” breeds or types of dogs. Do you live in the Untied States and want to know if your dog is affected by this discrimination? Find out here. BSL is slowly seeping into our society eroding the very foundation in which dogs were created and surely must be stopped. 

The other evil? The number of animals being euthanized in our country's shelters.  The dogs nobody wants, the dogs that are too sick, the dogs that are too expensive to shelter, the reasons go on and on. I cry for these dogs as well because I don't understand the problem.  It breaks my heart to think how many wonderful, loving dogs never get that second chance but instead leave the shelter through the back door in plastic garbage bags.

Two of our fosters, Gracie (Sophia) and Odie (Dobby), were pulled from shelters within hours of being euthanized which is a fancy word for murdered.  Both of these dogs are now healthy, happy dogs living with families who love them so much.  Apparently, they WERE wanted!

Today I also have a dream.  One day I pray my dream will become a reality. 

Did Lennox Die Months Earlier?

It's a rare person who hasn't heard the devestating story of Lennox, an American Bulldog/Lab mix, who was held in captivity at a secret location since he was seized by the Belfast dog wardens under the Dangerous Dog Act in May of 2010 because he looked like a pit bull and had the measurements of a pit bull type.

His family fought the BCC for two years to save him to no avail.  The BCC issued a statement on the morning of July 11, claiming that the dog had been humanely killed.

The BCC denied the family’s request to say goodbye to him, to receive his lifeless body for burial, or to even receive his collar.

Many are now wondering if Lennox was still alive the day of his confirmed death since the BCC has never offered any proof that he was. The last pictures seen of him were months earlier.  The BCC further denied the family’s request for their own vet to examine Lennox after he showed signs of mistreatment with an obvious injured neck, a bloodied back paw, and hair falling out in patches over large areas of his body. He was reportedly being medicated for stress and depression.

Dr. Leigh Foster aka DJ Ice, creator and host of The Pawz Cauze Show, recently claimed she had received information that Lennox was found dead in his kennel months ago:

“Ok, I have been sitting on some information given to me by an unidentified informant. I don’t know if it is true but it would explain A LOT about this case. If it is true, you all will be furious as I, but if not, then that means we can’t trust anything that comes out of Northern Ireland/UK. Here it goes:

“I was contacted shortly after I ended the show early in the morning on the 11th. The informant gave me information that I don’t know if it is the truth but I am releasing to you and hopefully we can get to the bottom of the truth. Please know that this is not from ME, I am just the messenger. This person stated that the shelter who kept Lennox hidden from the world went into his kennel one morning to give him his medication for kennel stress, food, and water. The informant stated that Lennox was found dead and the shelter panicked. They supposedly contacted BCC to see what they should do and they were told to have the body cremated immediately and to destroy the collar, clean the kennel and remove all evidence that Lennox was even there. This supposedly took place several months prior to the last court date. The informant stated that BCC told the judge and that is why the judge upheld the other rulings. According to the informant, BCC never thought that this case would cause such an uproar and by the time it did, they feared what would happen if they openly admitted that Lennox was dead already.

“IF this is in fact the truth, it would explain a lot! Why no one was able to see him, why the family could not have the body back and why the collar is missing. The saddest fact of all is that we have no proof that this is a true statement because all evidence was destroyed. The only way we will know the truth is if the informant identifies him or herself and if the shelter has a strike of conscious and speaks out. It also explains why everyone who was supposed to be able to grant amnesty were unable to thus passing the callers and public around to other people causing confusion and heightened anger.

“So there you have it. This is all I know and I have no idea who the person was. Sorry I can’t give you any more information. Know that I back you all up in this fight to know the truth. We owe it to the Barnes family and BCC owes it to the world to tell us what actually happened to Lennox.”                                         - Excerpted from the North Country Gazette

When we can't get answers, rumors abound.  This rumor seems to be gaining a life of its own as we seek answers only the BCC can provide as the world waits for the inquest into the senseless death of a dog who was loved by many.  FACT OR FICTION? You decide.  

Lennox - Poster Dog for BSL

According to reports Lennox was murdered this past Wednesday, July 11, 2012, in Belfast, Ireland.  His needless death has ignited a spark that has been festering for over two years.  This "dangerous dog case" has sparked such controversy in the hearts of many setting the stage for those who would rally for his life and those who would support those who wanted him destroyed.  In any event there is no room left for nuetrality. The end of the story is this is just the beginning. Each must now choose their side as a growing storm rumbles across the lands.

Breed Specific Legislation has been going strong for some time now throughout the world.  It's nothing new.  What is new is now there is a poster dog for everything wrong with BSL.  No complaints, no bites, legally licensed as an American Bulldog/Lab. The world pleaded, celebrities and politicians joined in the protest, even the First Prime Minister of Ireland pled for his life. Cesar Millan, Jeff Coltenback, the Italian Ministers, and Victoria Stillwell, who was actually there in person that fateful day, all made earnest requests to rehome him to another country at their expense yet Belfast was committed to murdering Lennox supposedly for the crime of looking like a Pit Bull. 

For the past two years I have followed this case where a healthy family pet was taken into custody because of his measurements and detained while his family battled for his life in an undeterred court system bent on his destruction.  There are articles and posts all over the web for all to read the many details of this long court drama so I won't rehash the disturbing facts except to say, given the facts and expert witnesses, I naively thought Lennox would eventually be released.

What I want to focus on is the inhumane treatment this dog and his family suffered culminating in the most inhumane treatment a family should have to endure.  

I write this as Kirby sleeps next to me without a care in the world because he knows he is safe from harm.  Our current foster sleeps close to him. They are comfortable lying on a soft blanket in an air conditioned room.  Their bellies are full from dinner.  Toys lie scattered on the floor waiting should they want to play. I'm quite sure Lennox lived like this until two years ago when he was taken from his family and thrust into the dark legal system that would eventually take his life.  

 

The truth will eventually come out, at which time I will either be vindicated for what I believe happened or I will have to admit I was wrong. The first thing that bothers me are the pictures leaked to the web showing his living quarters and deteriorating health.  His family must have felt so wounded every time they saw these pictures knowing they couldn't comfort him or tend to his wounds.

The BCC had to be aware of these pictures and therefore had every opportunity to produce pictures showing Lennox in acceptable surroundings - a clean kennel, a soft bed, clean bowls of food and water. Before anyone says, "Have you seen how many dogs live in concrete kennels in shelters around the world?" I want to clarify that this dog had a family who, given the opportunity, would have provided these "luxuries".  I sometimes wonder if they did send these items for their Len who never received them.  Many, myself included, provide beds and toys to the local shelters where they ARE utilized for the dogs and cats in their care.

There are pictures of Lennox showing his coat deteriorating with missing patches of fur.  There is testimony of an apparent neck injury and one of his back paws being covered in dried blood.  Again, the BCC had every opportunity to show their regard for his well being in their care with pictures and reports by veterinarians tending to his health. I've read the family will be required to pay for his boarding.  I'm sure they would have happily paid for veterinary care as well.

My final dismay is his "humane" death with no final goodbye from the ones he loved even though the family begged to be with him in his final moments.  This is what truly breaks my heart.  Before all of this he was a happy, loved family member for five years.  Did he look in anticipation for a family member every time someone came to his kennel?  Did he have a glimmer of hope that he was being taken to his family every time he was led from his kennel?  Did he wonder, day after day, week after week, month after month, what he had done wrong for his family to throw him away? I've read that dogs seem to know they are about to be put down so I wonder if he gave up in those last moments knowing he would never see his family or home again. Being a dog, he had no way of knowing his loved ones were fighting for his life every second of every day he was locked away.  

There are so many dogs discarded every day by owners who no longer want them.  I know this because I foster some of these dogs.  When they come to my home they are always scared and withdrawn.  It takes time to gain their trust, time to make them understand they are safe, time for them to learn to be happy dogs again.

I am fortunate to have Kirby's help.  He is the ultimate therapy dog as he shows them how they should behave, how to play again, how to just be a dog again.  He has a calm demeanor which they quickly adopt.  Lennox also lived in a home where foster dogs came and went with never an altercation.  It's been said he was a therapy dog for the Barnes young disabled daughter.  Was he also a therapy dog for the fosters that entered his home?

The BCC refused to concede he was a dog worth saving.  They were so determined to prove him an aggressive dangerous dog which I think is why the option of rehoming him was ignored.  What if they had been proven wrong?  Then again I wonder that if in their attempts to force him to become aggressive, something may have gone terribly wrong.  Did Lennox finally snap and attack only to be beaten down?

Throughout this process I held hope that this council would admit how wrong they were.  Today I now believe Lennox died long before July 11, 2012.  I believe his body was disposed of a long time ago which would explain why the request to rehome him was denied, why the request for his body to be returned to the family for proper burial was denied, and why the request for the collar he was wearing was denied.  

I do hope there is an inquisition.  The Barnes family, and the world who fought so valiantly for him, deserve answers.  When did Lennox actually die? How did he die? Who was there with him when he died? Why did not one council member step up to say "What we are doing is not right!"

A beloved family pet with no history of aggression was murdered because the law said he could be destroyed simply because he resembled a dangerous dog breed. My soul screams this is wrong on so many levels.  I have chosen which side of the fence I am on.  Have you chosen which side you are on?