Campaigners for a Dundonald dog on “death row” have vowed “we won’t give up” the fight for Max as a council refuses to make breed assessment reports on the suspected Pit Bull available to the public.
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) has now engaged in a legal process for a judge to decide the stray pet’s fate amid what a committee meeting was told were “evil” levels of abuse targeted at local authority staff.
Two council wardens and an expert assessor from Merseyside Met Police have reportedly identified Max as a banned Pit Bull type breed. However, a fourth assessor agreed between the local authority and the USPCA, is understood to have come to a different conclusion.
Save Max from Euthanasia organised a gathering outside the council offices on Wednesday and is calling for transparency and the release of Max’s independent third-party assessment, the report and the outcome", spokesperson Zara Duncan said.
“What became clear during the council meeting was that the independent assessment report would not be shared with the public nor with councillors.
“In addition Max’s visitations of a potential future family would not be supported by the council. We will now look to follow legal proceedings, which have been launched…and we won’t give up.”
The council said the “outcome and reports from all assessments have been shared and discussed confidentially with the chief executive of the USPCA”.
“As we are seeking to find a solution to this matter through the courts, the assessment reports cannot be shared more widely at this time,” it added. Councillors have raised concerns over transparency.
Lisburn North Independent Councillor Gary Hynds said: “These reports were paid for by the ratepayers and we as their elected representatives should be allowed to see all the assessment reports in full.
“I would ask that to go forward as a proposal so that councillors can see the reports in full.”
Cries of “shame” could be heard from the public gallery during the council committee meeting after the chair, Councillor Pat Catney, decided not to allow movement on any proposal to reveal details of the assessments.
He said: “As proceedings are now going to the courts, the assessment reports on Max are now considered legal evidence.
“Due to that fact, I won’t allow the proposal to go forward. I hope that you can understand my reasoning.”
Over 13,600 people have signed an online petition ‘Mercy for Max’ to save the dog with almost 300 people turning out in a public protest at the council headquarters last month.
Max, a stray, was picked up around Christmas.
USPCA chief executive, Nora Smith previously said: “Ultimately only a court can judge whether or not Max is a banned breed. But we believe we have turned a positive corner with the new assessment.”
