A pit bull terrier has been freed from a death sentence and adopted by an animal behaviour expert after spending 14 months in police kennels.

The dog named Sky is now in the care of dog expert Ruth Owen after being moved from north Devon to her animal sanctuary near Ipplepen.

A Judge welcomed the outcome of the case after rubber-stamping an arrangement under which previous owner Amanda Claxton agreed to transfer ownership of Sky.

He allowed an appeal by Miss Claxton against a destruction order passed by magistrates in Barnstaple in February last year which has resulted in Sky being held in police kennels ever since.

Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, lifted the destruction order after hearing that magistrates have already approved the transfer of Sky to Ruth Owen on the grounds of Miss Claxton’s ill health.

He said: ’I allow the appeal to the extent of removing the destruction order in the light of the changed circumstances. This has been a long saga, but I am pleased it is over.’

Mr Richardo Childs, prosecuting, said the police do not oppose Sky’s move to south Devon, which should take place immediately.

Miss Emmi Wilson, mitigating, said the transfer of Sky to the animal centre could only be approved by the magistrates in north Devon who heard the original case. This has now happened, so the case could be finalised by the Judge allowing the appeal.

The ruling means Sky will be moved from police kennels to Miss Owen’s Devon Dog Behaviour base at Coombe Fishacre.

His case is similar in some respects to that of Stella, a pit bull which had been kept in a 3ft x 9ft cage for two years without exercise while the courts decide on her fate. Following a huge public outcry, Stella has recently been moved to a kennel with an exercise area.

The big difference between the cases of Stella and Sky is that while Stella is considered dangerous, Sky has been assessed as posing little or no risk if handled properly

Former owner Miss Claxton was not at court for the final appeal decision but told an earlier hearing she would be happy with any outcome which saves the dog’s life.

The happy ending to Sky’s case came on the day police revealed 4,757 dangerous dogs have been seized over the past three years.

Sky was classified as a dangerous dog in February last year and seized by the police after two incidents in August and November 2014 in which she was seen unmuzzled in public.

She has been examined by dog behaviour experts while in kennels and has been found to be a friendly dog who poses no inherent risk to the public.

Miss Owen was one of the experts consulted and agreed to take over the keepership of Sky. She already has a ’family’ of rescue dogs at her base at Coombe Fishacre.

The appeal arose because Miss Claxton, aged 53, of Charles Dart Street, Barnstaple, admitted two offences at Barnstaple Magistrates Court.

They were allowing a fighting dog to be in a public place without a muzzle or lead, and being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control.

She was fined £100, given an eight-month conditional discharge, and the bench ordered Sky must be destroyed. She appealed against the destruction order.