...and our dear Mr Bronx is also to be freed today

Wednesday 21 December 2016

There's been a petition, a beach protest, hundreds of social media posts and even top canine celebrities lending their support to the cause. But today, after ten months in the Animals' Shelter, Mr Bronx is to be returned to his owners in time for Christmas.

The dog was locked up after being spotted by eagle-eyed customs officers on his way back from France in February, sparking a complicated legal wrangle over whether he was a pitbull-type terrier or not, and therefore should have had a licence.

The Gomes family had imported the seven-and-a-half week old pup into the Island as a pet for their three-year-old daughter in September of 2015 without any problems.

And then last month, the courts decided that Mr Bronx was indeed a pitbull-type, leaving the Assistant Home Affairs Minister Deidre Mezbourian with a difficult decision to make in the run-up to Christmas - should he be returned to his family or not?

Now, Constable Mezbourian has reached her decision, issuing the following statement, and defending customs officers against what she has described as "unwarranted public criticism:"

“I have reached the conclusion that the most appropriate course of action is to offer the return of Mr Bronx to its owner, Mr Gomes, under the agreement that stringent conditions are observed and that Mr Gomes accepts full responsibility for the dog’s behaviour. This decision has not been taken lightly and it is most certainly not to be regarded as a precedent, should similar circumstances be encountered in the future...As is the case in the UK with similar situations, these conditions take account of legal requirements, as well as our duty to preserve the safety of the public. 

“This has been a difficult and complex case, and I am grateful to the many members of the public who have expressed their views. However, I would like to leave no doubt that this decision has been reached as a result of the advice received and on consideration of the particular aspects of this case. I would also like to thank all the agencies who have worked hard to ensure that an appropriate outcome could be achieved. In particular, I am grateful to the Customs and Immigration Service, whose officers have received unwarranted public criticism for simply doing their jobs and upholding the Island’s laws.”