Death Row dog: Campaigners raise £10k over just four days in the fight to save Max the puppy, declared a banned breed by Lisburn and Castlereagh Council officials
A battle to save a dog stuck on death row by council officials has raised over £10,000 for a legal fight in just four days.
Max the puppy has been declared a banned breed by Lisburn and Castlereagh Council – though would-be owner Zara Duncan and the USPCA think officials may have made a mistake, and are trying to free him.
Over the weekend a Gofundme page set up to raise money for a lawsuit passed the £10,000 mark, with donations flooding in from around the world as animal lovers try to help out.
The amount is comfortably over the fund’s target, showing how much Max’s story has touched hearts internationally.
Set up by Zara, the fundraiser came after the USPCA announced it was taking legal action against the council while accusing officials of breaking promises to work in partnership on Max’s case.
Last week, council officials said that both their own people and an independent expert have judged Max to be a “pitbull type” breed, which aren’t legal in Northern Ireland.
If true, it could mean the puppy faces being put down.
But the USPCA alleged that the council had rejected three outside experts it had put forward, despite pledges to work with the animal welfare charity.
Instead, the council sourced its own expert to judge Max – and then refused to tell the USPCA who they got.
USPCA chief executive Nora Smith said the charity wants Max “assessed fairly and in accordance with animal welfare standards”, and has “reluctantly” launched legal action as a result.
"We are extremely frustrated by the council’s actions, despite their previous commitment to work with us,” she said at the end of last week.
"Max’s future should be determined by a transparent and impartial process of the highest standards that the public can trust.”
Dog carer Zara Duncan was moments away from fostering Max in December last year - until council wardens who suspected he might be a banned breed stepped in, putting him into the pound facing euthanasia.
Campaigners this week alleged the council got a Dog Legislation Officer from a police force in England to assess Max.
Over 12,000 people have so far signed a petition to save the puppy.
Lisburn and Castlereagh Council was contacted, but has yet to respond.