July 11, 2012 08:36 AM EDT

by Linda Shaw

Lennox may not have lived in your city, town or state. He may not have even lived in your country. However, if you are an animal lover then you’re bound to have heard of his plight.
Sadly, that plight ended today with one dose of lethal injection on a dog who did absolutely nothing wrong.

Lennox was killed.

No, wait. He wasn’t killed, he was murdered. And you know why? Because he “looked” like a Pit Bull.

The dog that caught the attention of animal lovers across the globe wasn’t murdered for biting someone or attacking other animals. He didn’t act aggressive. He didn’t even try to bite the dog warden who came to take him away from his loving family and lead him to death.

No, this was a good dog, who never showed signs of hurting anyone or anything. Yet he was murdered because he looked like a dangerous dog.

The story of the Labrador – American Bulldog cross has captured hearts around the globe with pleas on social networking sites to free him. The world has banded together to try and save this condemned soul, but sadly, the Belfast, Ireland, council had their mind-set on murdering him no matter what anyone thought.

For the past two years, his owners have tried to fight to get their dog back after he was seized for looking like a pit bull and then measured. The measurements gave the dog warden the indication that he was a pit bull — one of the so-called “bully breeds” — and therefore he should be killed.

His owners fought day in and day out to save him, but he didn’t know that because since the fateful day in 2010 he has not been able to have a visit from them once. He probably feels like they abandoned him and never loved him, which is far from the truth.

So, today, July 11, 2012, the world took a step backwards. Because even though this was the story of a dog, he was still discriminated against and murdered senselessly.

You’ve got to ask yourself what that says for the cold-hearted politicians in Northern Ireland, who will no doubt be pegged as targets by animal rights activists.

Nobody could save you, Lennox, but the whole world loved you. It’s just too bad you never got the chance to know it.