Campaigners pictured outside Lagan Valley Island where a meeting of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council was taking place
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 Council Committee meeting was told were “evil” levels of abuse targeted at local authority staff.
Despite a suggestion by one councillor that the reports be made public as well as Max remain behind closed doors.
Save Max from Euthanasia, spokesperson Zara Duncan spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) following a protest at the council’s environment committee meeting last night.
She said: “Max’s supporters gathered outside Lisburn and Castlereagh council chambers to call for transparency and the release of Max’s independent third party assessment, the report and the outcome.
“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.”
LCCC released a statement (Feb 5) outlining its position ahead of the committee meeting, it read:
“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.”
Max, a stray puppy has been held on ‘death row’ at kennels since Christmas.
LCCC elected members have raised their concerns to council CEO David Burns over what has been claimed to be a lack of transparency regarding the dog’s assessment reports, which had led to multiple confidential briefings.
The USPCA has also raised its concerns with a number of legal letters handed into Lagan Valley Island.
In chambers, Lisburn North independent cllr, (environment committee vice-chairperson) 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.”
The public gallery was packed out at Lagan Valley Island with cries of “shame” from Max supporters as committee chairperson Pat Catney (SDLP) refused to allow the proposal on opening the reports to go to the floor to be potentially seconded and approved.
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.”
The environment director confirmed: “No, these (assessment reports) cannot be released into the public domain.
“Any timeframe for a resolution is now in the hands of the courts.”
In terms of Max’s welfare, the officer added:
“He is socialised and walked regularly.
“On visitations for Max being refused, I have to be careful of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), so I can’t provide comment on that.”
Two Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) wardens and an expert assessor from Merseyside Met Police have previously identified Max as a Pit Bull type breed.
However, a fourth assessor, agreed between the local authority and the USPCA has come to a different conclusion.
The chamber heard claims that council staff had been targeted by online abuse, with Killultagh DUP rep, James Tinsley saying:
“We have a duty of care for our staff and for Max, there are lessons to be learned here.
“There have been vindictive and evil comments made to staff members.
“We need to support our staff, they need to be looked after and protected.”
Over 13,600 people have now signed an online petition ‘Mercy for Max’ to save the dog with almost 300 people turning out in a public protest at the council HQ at Lagan Valley Island on Saturday (Jan 18).
More than £10,000 has also been raised on a GoFundMe page ‘Save Max from Euthanasia’, as campaigners began to raise money for any legal costs in the fight to save Max.
USPCA chief executive, Nora Smith previously spoke to the LDRS (Jan 24) saying:
“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.”