Lennox has not “been humanely put to sleep”, as the Belfast City Council puts it, nor has he been “put down“, “euthanized” or any other euphemism. Lennox was killed.
This is exactly why we call it the No Kill Movement and not the No Humane Putting to Sleep Movement. No kill advocates are for true euthanasia to end the suffering of medically hopeless or behaviorally hopeless pets after all reasonable efforts to help have been exhausted. We are against killing – which is ending the life of a pet for any other reason.
Lennox was neither medically nor behaviorally hopeless. He was a little girl’s comfort dog and a friendly family pet. He was deemed dangerous due to his body measurements under a stupid law in Northern Ireland. There were offers to rehome Lennox in other locations which have no such laws and as such, he would not be considered dangerous. But the Belfast City Council would accept no alternatives. The BCC seemed to be afflicted with some sort of maniacal bloodlust over the dog.
When you talk about Lennox from now on, make sure you choose your words carefully. He was killed. Just like all the other dogs deemed dangerous due to body shape under breed specific legislation in Northern Ireland and elsewhere. It’s killing under the guise of public safety. But who keeps the public safe from those who kill a little girl’s friendly pet and call it humane?