Campaigners for Max took on a legal challenge after council wardens had assessed him as a Pit Bull type, which could have resulted in the dog being destroyed
A UK “precedent” case of a Dundonald Pit Bull type dog has cost a council over £53k.
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council released a report this week following a court verdict earlier this month that ruled Max the dog was a banned breed.
The case has presented new key learnings, with the local authority now to hold registered keepers liable for dogs that are micro-chipped in their name, despite claims of pets being sold.
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A new LCCC report also states: “Now that the case has concluded and Max has been re-homed with his new owner, the council is in a position to provide a report.
“This report aims to set out the facts, from a council perspective, in the case of the abandoned dog, known as Max.
“Costs incurred by the council in bringing this case forward including legal, kennelling, veterinary care, third party assessments and behaviouralist intervention.”
Campaigners for Max took on a legal challenge after council wardens had assessed him as a Pit Bull type, which could have resulted in the dog being destroyed.
Since the court ruling earlier in October, Max has now been rehomed under restrictions to the new owner Molly Piper from her family’s ‘Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary’.
The financial breakdown includes a legal cost of £35,423 up to September 24 after an almost year long dispute over the suspected banned breed.
The report shows Max had become a stray on the Comber Greenway in Dundonald, after he was “sold on Gumtree”. He was seized by LCCC on December 6, 2024, with no current keeper identified.
Kennelling of Max for almost a year since he was seized, totalled £9,518.
The report adds: “It should be reiterated that it was never the intention of council for Max to be retained in kennels for this extended duration.
“During this period, we could not legally rehome the dog, either temporarily or permanently, as there is currently no provision for this in the legislation.
“The legal challenge did protract the process, council respects the right of individuals to legally challenge its decisions.
“This case was a precedent for the council, other local government authorities and indeed central government.
“Registered keepers should remain liable for dogs that are microchipped in their name, this is despite the registered keeper in this case alleging that they sold Max to another person.”
LCCC has also released evidential documents showing details of Max’s assessment by dog wardens and independent assessors.
Cost for third party assessment, which included travel of a member of Merseyside Police was just over £4,000 and a similar amount for a behaviouralist. Veterinary care was £315.
A high level of information requests on the animal’s welfare were also made with the council stating some misinformation on social media had led to public abuse of its staff.
The report reads: “There were approximately 150 Freedom of Information and Customer Care enquiries/complaints received, which were responded to by council officers within the policy deadlines.
“Council’s internal communications unit should be the primary source of information, internally and externally, regarding such matters protection of staff and their safety should be paramount, all threats should be reported to police and support of the council unequivocal.”
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