A pitbull-cross puppy found wandering the streets in Warwick is settling in to his new home in Florida after a former Bermuda resident saved him from being put down.

The puppy was seized by dog wardens in the Spice Hill area earlier this month and faced euthanasia because it was deemed by the animal wardens to be the product of illegal breeding.

However, Jacksonville resident Matt Coene with the help of local advocacy group, Punish the Deed Not the Breed, have ensured the animal has a second chance of life in the United States.

The puppy, which has been named Hamilton, by Mr Coene and his wife Sarah is already making the most of his new home and companions that include three other dogs, four cats and chicken.

Mr Coene, 42, who lived in Bermuda between 2003 and 2012, read about the puppy’s plight online and told The Royal Gazette he and his wife felt compelled to act.

“I could not look the other way,” he said. “I have friends from Punish the Deed and once I had read about what was going to happen to this puppy if a new home could not be found then I knew we had to act.

“We had no second thoughts although the process seemed to be quite drawn out getting him here.

“I kept waiting for the call telling me that he had been put down but thankfully that never happened.”

Punish the Breed co-ordinated the puppy’s travel arrangements that involved a specially adapted crate being made for him in advance of his journey.

Mr and Mrs Coene took the five-hour drive from Jacksonville to Atlanta on Friday to pick up their new pet.

“He leaped out of the crate into my arms,” he said. “We named him Hamilton so we can remember his roots.

“I was a little nervous about how the other animals we have would take to him, but it has gone so well.

“He’s extremely happy with his new home and has settled in brilliantly. He is already part of the family. We have an acre and a half of land so he has plenty of space to run around with his new friends.”

Mr Coene added: “I know that the rules in Bermuda governing pitbulls are very different to here. But to me it seems very wrong to label a dog just for being born. It does not seem fair to me.”

A statement released by Punish the Deed Not the Breed on its Facebook account welcomed the news that Hamilton had reached his new home safely.

“We would like to thank everyone involved in saving this little guy’s life and would like to remind everyone that exporting bull terriers identified as prohibited is a short-term solution.

“We need an amnesty for these great dogs and we need a new era of human accountability. Clearly these breeds have been misrepresented on island through irresponsible ownership. With training and responsible ownership any bull-type breed can be owned with no risk to the community.”