A pit bull terrier which has been in police kennels for months will have to remain there for at least four more weeks after a hearing to settle his fate was adjourned.

The dog named Sky is set to be adopted by animal behaviour specialist Ruth Owen and moved from police kennels to her animal sanctuary near Newton Abbot.

The transfer cannot take place until magistrates in north Devon confirm the change of ownership from her original keeper Amanda Claxton and a death sentence is lifted by a Judge at Exeter Crown Court.

Sky has been in kennels since being seized as a dangerous dog a year ago but his case is different to that of the pit bull named Stella because police dog handlers have assessed the animal as posing little or no risk if properly handled.

Magistrates in Barnstaple ordered her destruction but Ms Claxton appealed the decision to Exeter Crown Court, where the case has been adjourned several times.

The dog is due to be re-homed with Ruth Owen, who runs Devon Dog Behaviour and advises other pet owners about how to train their animals.

The transfer has been approved by a Judge at Exeter Crown Court but can only take place after the magistrates who heard the original case in Barnstaple agree the change of ownership.

This was due to happen last month but the paperwork was not ready and so the case will now be heard on March 30. The case will then have to come back to Exeter on April 13 for a Judge to allow the appeal and lift the destruction order.

Judge Graham Cottle adjourned the case and said: ’It is frustrating that progress cannot be made. The plan is to move the dog to someone who can look after it but magistrates have to approve that and we cannot usurp their function.’

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

Sky was classified as a dangerous dog in July 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 Coombefishacre.

The appeal arose because Miss Claxton, aged 53, of Charles Dart Street, Barnstaple, admitted two offences at Barnstaple Magistrates’ Court in March 2015.

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.