Pit bull: 'Devoted' owner loses High Court bid to save prohibited dog

Pitbull-type dogs are banned in the UK

A banned dog may be put down after his "devoted" owner lost a High Court bid to save his life.

Jenner Stronge was convicted in January 2017 of possessing a prohibited pitbull-type dog called Bleu.

He was allowed to keep the dog if he was put on a lead and muzzled in public, but was sentenced in 2018 for failing to do so and a destruction order was made.

The Met seized the dog, which was held in private kennels pending an appeal.

Judge Roger ter Haar QC accepted Bleu has an "excellent temperament" and was not known "ever to have shown aggressive or dangerous behaviour".

As part of Mr Stronge's sentence in 2018 he was banned from keeping a dog for five years, but the court heard he failed to give up Bleu as he was "desperate to save his dog from destruction".

He mounted a legal challenge against the Met for refusing to move Bleu to kennels run by the Dog's Trust, where, he said, a member of staff could take responsibility as his keeper.

'Unfortunate victim'

The judge dismissed the claim but noted the order for destruction was one based on the "draconian nature of the legislation".

He said it was clear Mr Stronge's "inappropriate conduct" was fuelled by his devotion to his dog.

In a written judgement, the judge noted: "It seems overwhelmingly probable that, as a result, a fit dog of excellent temperament may die, the unfortunate victim of the fact that his owner has proved not to be a fit and proper person to have charge of him.

He added: "Where this difficult balance is to be struck between the interests of preserving such dogs, where they are of good temperament on the one hand and the dictates of the safety of the public on the other, is a matter of policy for the government and Parliament."

The court heard that Mr Stronge needed to find a fit and proper person to look after Bleu to prevent him being put down.

The Dogs Trust had suggested that Bleu remain under the control of Scotland Yard, but that his day-to-day care be delegated to a suitable person the dog could be released to after the appeal.

However, the court heard that the suggestion was rejected amid concerns about retaining responsibility and accountability for Bleu.

"We cannot be expected to trust a public kennel to not let the dog 'disappear' and then you will hold us liable on behalf of your client should anything happen to the dog," Det Sgt Penny Keller wrote in an e-mail read out in court.