Thirteen year old Royce, the dog that had lived without incident with his owner until Blacktown Animal Control Officers deemed him to be a ‘pit bull’ and seized him, has been returned home!
“I’m ecstatic; I just felt elation when told I could take him home,” Mr Coulter said.
“He’s my best friend; the only one happy to see me every day.”
Royce, a 13-year-old mastiff-cross, was seized by Blacktown pound officers who said he was a pit bull and therefore a dangerous dog.
However, Mr Coulter said Royce was not a pit bull, nor had he ever attacked anyone or another animal.
Blacktown councillor and veterinarian, Russ Dickens, said he had treated the dog for years and had never heard any complaints about him.
Mr Coulter also said he was told he had to build a backyard enclosure for Royce, which he said cost him a great deal of money.
But last week he had his dog professionally assessed for its breed.
“She [the assessor] said Royce was half mastiff and half ridgeback,” he said.
He said the pound then allowed him to take Royce home and wished them well.
Mr Coulter said he was happy to have his dog home, but unhappy about what had happened to him.
Mr Coulter said he was worried the same thing could happen to another dog owner.
Cr Dickens has asked Blacktown Council officers for an explanation of the affair.
The Sun contacted Blacktown Council for comment, but it could not reply in time for publication. (ref)
If you’re someone standing by, ignoring breed specific legislation and thinking it will only effect ‘those awful bad people with the bad dogs’ think of Jock and Royce. More often than not, those caught in this legislation are simply people unlucky enough to own a dog with a blocky head.
