By Tom McGhie
Copyright dailystar
A petrified pooch held in a prison has been freed after a ‘calculated threat’ was made against the hound. Cocker spaniel Bailey was left ‘quivering at night’ in the jail housing sex offenders – leading to horrified campaigners calling for him to be released. The adorable pet had been “serving” in the medium-security Magilligan prison since early summer as a “support dog” to rehabilitate inmates. But Bailey had been terrified at night because of alarms, shouts and fights by other inmates in the Northern Ireland jail – and reportedly developed a limp. A protest about Bailey’s welfare took place outside the prison on Monday. Campaigners were further angered as it was claimed Bailey had been taken from a family and had no training as a support dog. Three-year-old Bailey was finally released to an undisclosed location on Monday (September 22). Jon Burrows, an Ulster Unionist party (UUP) assembly member, confirmed the canine freedom. He said: “Bailey is out of that environment, is now in a family home, with someone who is trained to look after him,” said Mr Burrows. It comes after outrage emerged over the imprisoned pooch’s treatment while inside the medium-security slammer. In a statement, a Prison Service spokesperson said: “A perfectly happy and well looked after dog at Magilligan Prison has had to be moved after the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) made us aware of a callous and calculated external threat to say that Bailey was going to be harmed in an attempt to embarrass the governor.” They said the welfare of Bailey has always been and “will always be the service’s priority”. “He was safe and cared for when he was living at Magilligan, he is safe and being cared for now,” the spokesperson said. Animal rights group Causeway Coast Dog Rescue said: “After a reputable animal welfare charity declined to provide a therapy dog, Bailey was sourced informally and placed in a high-security environment with no certified training or therapy dog oversight. “An untrained dog, which has not been prepared as a working dog intended to support male prisoners, including sex offenders, with their mental health needs.” Instead of returning to a family home after each “shift” of helping inmates, Bailey was stuck in the prison 24 hours a day, the charity added. Activists under the banners #ProtectBailey and #alldogsmatter lobbied the Department of Justice to get Bailey out of chokey, after reports emerged the former family pet was sharing a prison with animal abusers and sex offenders. Mr Burrows, one of the prominent voices in the campaign for the dog’s freedom, told the Belfast Telegraph: “This has been a disgraceful episode from start to finish. “We now need to ensure he stays out of prison and proper safeguards are introduced for animals brought into the prison estate.” A Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) spokesperson said: “a recent newspaper article, relying on an unnamed source, made a number of inaccurate and unfounded claims regarding the care of Bailey, the support dog at Magilligan Prison”. “Bailey is registered with a local veterinary practice and is in good health. Local council officials have recently visited Magilligan Prison and confirmed that Bailey is in excellent condition, appropriately housed and properly safeguarded. “The Prison Service takes its duty of care for animals’ safety and wellbeing very seriously and has also an established record of working with a range of animal charities to offer a caring home and a purposeful life to many dogs. “For many years dogs have played a crucial role in the service, supporting staff in maintaining security and safety at establishments.” Magilligan prison declined to comment when contacted.
