‘It’s the puppy farmers who breed dangerous dogs’

He said he was saddened that Belfast City Council’s expert described the dog as one of the most unpredictable and dangerous he had come across.

And he said K9friendsunited.com unreservedly condemns the cruel and inhumane killing by the council of the Barnes’ family pet Lennox.

“On behalf of all the members of K9friendsunited we extend our sincere condolences to Lennox’s family and close friends following this very sad loss,” he added.

“Whilst there is an exemption scheme to which dogs of this type (pit-bull terrier type) may be admitted as an alternative to destruction, there were no such measures that could be applied in this case that would address the concerns relating to public safety,” he told the MAIL.

Lennox, a seven-year-old dog, described as an American bulldog and Labrador cross, captured the hearts of animal lovers across the world.

Two years ago he was seized by Belfast City Council and following court battles, the story tragically ended last week with Lennox being put to sleep.

Animal activists appealed to Belfast City Council to show leniency, and despite dog lovers and celebrities, including Cesar Millan and Victoria Stilwell calling for Lennox to be spared, he was finally put to sleep.

Those who fought for Lennox’s survival argued that any dog can be dangerous and they pointed out that Lennox’s only crime was living in a country in which pit bulls (or dogs that look like pit bulls) are banned.

Expressing his feelings about the dog expert to the MAIL, Diarmuid said: “One wonders what his views are on concerns relating to public safety on the puppy farming scale. I wonder if he is going to get his cronies to round up all the puppy farmers and have them humanely put down?

“Northern Ireland is well known to be a puppy farming capital, yet the authorities here seem to turn a blind eye towards it,” he said.

Diarmuid said puppy farming is an extremely cruel practice that places zero value on the health and well-being of dogs and has zero value to society.

“Locked in some dark, dirty hovel, frozen in winter and roasted in summer, they will have spent their lives in a cage producing litter after litter of sickly pups for you, the public, to buy and when their useful days are over they will either be shot or clubbed to death.

“It is people like this who breed dangerous dogs and make them into dangerous animals. It is not the dog’s fault; it is these people who should be put down and not the dog,” he said.

In a statement on a Facebook page Lennox’s owners wrote: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all again for your messages of support.

“We are sorry to say at the present time Belfast City Council seem to be intent on killing our boy. Despite previous assurances otherwise, we have been denied the opportunity to say goodbye. We have also been told that we cannot collect his body and bring Len home. We have been informed however that we will receive ‘some’ ashes in the mail.”

And Diarmuid added: Belfast City Council - is it any wonder the rest of the world is disgusted at your deplorable actions? Words fail me to describe your unbelievable action against a poor defenceless animal.”