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Home Page > News > Celebrity dog trainer says she was threatened over 'Save Lennox' campaign -VIDEO

Celebrity dog trainer says she was threatened over 'Save Lennox' campaign -VIDEO

Weekend protests demonstrate continued support for destroyed Lennox

CATHY HAYES ,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, July 17, 2012, 7:16 AM

Updated Tuesday, July 17, 2012, 9:30 AM

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Victoria Stilwell

Photo by Animal Planet

Following a weekend of protests over the Belfast City Council’s (BCC) killing of Lennox the dog, a celebrity dog trainer has claimed she was threatened over her support of the campaign.

Animal Planet dog trainer Victoria Stilwell, star of the TV show “It's Me or The Dog” says she was harassed by BCC over her support of the ‘Save Lennox’ campaign.

Stilwell questioned the credentials of the Council’s expert who assessed the breed of the dog and as a result they allegedly threatened the dog expert with legal action.

"Yes, the BCC's 'expert' did try to sue me for speaking out against him and questioning his credentials, and yes he did expect money from me to settle the dispute," Stillwell wrote on her Facebook page.

“He was not successful because all I did was speak the truth. But these are the kind of people that the family, myself and all those who have supported Lennox, have been up against,” Stilwell added.

For over two years, the owners of Lennox the dog, the Barnes family from Belfast, fought a legal action which ordered for the 6-year-old to be terminated due to his likeness to a pit bull. A final appeal was rejected in mid June which ordered Lennox to be destroyed under the Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA). The pet dog was finally put down on July 11.

According to Examiner.com, peaceful protests this weekend were held in Manchester, London, Glasgow, Brighton, and Hampshire, over the killing of the pet dog.

Watch a Free Lennox Protest - New York City July 9, 2012

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rosks304 | Jul 26, 2012, 12:43 AM EDT

Lennox harmed no-one in his entire life,for the benefit of the "Brainwashed Morons" on this blog that Shooter in Denver KILLED 12 and Wounded around 60 in less than an hour and to the best of my knowledge he was not a Pitbull but one of us PERFECT HUMANS,Lennox was also NOT a Pitbull. What took place in Northern Ireland was a Conspiracy of the Worst Kind,from Cameron to the CROOKED Judges to the incompetent councillors,lying dog-wardens.In a perfect world the whole lot should be behind bars. KARMA Exists.

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Murph46 | Jul 17, 2012, 05:57 PM EDT

Jaysus,the dog is dead-enough!

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merefalow | Jul 17, 2012, 04:25 PM EDT

all of these breeds of dog have a potential for violence,that is what they were bred for,bull baiting,badger baiting dog on dog fights,there are numerous reports every year where the gentle family dog turns often resulting in the deaths of small children,i love animals but not these,not one should ever be allowed out without a muzzle.council did the right thing.also, squeals of protest here,but its a fact some of the people who own these dogs aren't exactly pillars of the community,they come in very handy for protection while the cops are trying to get in,time to flush the gear,also there is quite an underground dog fighting community in operation,operated by cruel and dangerous morons.

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Cyn | Jul 17, 2012, 03:07 PM EDT

While I agree Lennox was murdered by breed racists, Victoria Stillwell is an incompetent who will do anything for attention and press. Now if I could just get the Americans to understand that Northern Ireland is not Ireland. Sheesh.

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timbobdennehy | Jul 17, 2012, 11:30 AM EDT

at forflann its not bbc its BCC a big difference,BELFAST CITY COUNCIL,they are going to get all the bad press now anyway.

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forflann | Jul 17, 2012, 11:07 AM EDT

Victoria, no matter how pure the cause you represent there will always be a rabid few who will slag you for it. I would call that "in-human" nature. I'm surprised that well educated folks like BBC would fall prey to "breed bias". Many people in US and Canada feel you were on the side of Right!

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