It's a huge victory for all lovers of dogs who are unfairly branded "dangerous".
The adorable 2-year-old Hank was snatched from his family by the authorities in Belfast, Northern Ireland, simply for looking like a Pit Bull. And he was facing euthanasia.
Luckily, they made an exception for Hank. After looking into his case and discovering that he does in fact belong to an "illegal" dog breed, the Belfast City Council has announced that he will be pardoned and returned to his family under certain conditions.
Source : @Save Hank
The matter will soon be taken to the courts (probably on Tuesday August 2, according to the Facebook page "Save Hank"), where a decision will be made.
The sickening sentence has been causing public uproar all over the world for the last few weeks. Most major news websites have been struck by the case and a petition demanding for Hank to be spared has amassed more than 300,000 signatures.
Source : @Save Hank
In Northern Ireland, just like everywhere else in the UK, the Dangerous Dogs Act makes life complicated for certain dog breeds branded inherently dangerous.
The law came into practice in 1991, making it illegal to own a "dangerous" dog such as a Pit Bull Terrier, Tosa or even an Argentine Mastiff.
Source : @Save Hank
And yet Hank is the most adorable of companions. According to his family, he spends his days sleeping on the couch, playing with his family and avoiding cats like the plague.
Leonard Collins, his human, explains to BBC News :
He is a very playful dog and is part of our family, my nieces and nephews adore him and my dad loves walking him. He's extremely affectionate, we've never had any issues with aggression.
Source : @Save Hank
It's a decision which will hopefully move things in the right direction.Because we can't say it enough: there are no "dangerous" or "malicious" dogs. It all depends on the animal's education, as well as the love and affection he receives throughout his life...
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