thanks to a dogged lawyer.

For Attorney Mark Pettingill convinced a Supreme Court judge to `paws' for thought and reverse an earlier death warrant handed down to mongrels Dahl and Redeem in Magistrates' Court.

And Puisne Judge Vincent Meerabux ruled that he had the power under dog laws to hand the two mutts over to the SPCA to be put up for adoption.

Last night Mr. Pettingill -- a dog-lover who sank his teeth into the case free of charge -- said: "The dogs are to live and that's the main thing.

"Given the fact that the order was not a fait accompli at this stage, the judge had the opportunity to consider a further submission.'' "And he ordered that the dogs be surrendered to the Society for the Protection of Animals.

Dahl and Redeem, owned by Granville Wilson and daughter Villa-Mae, who live in Smith's, drove their neighbours in three parishes barking mad over a period of four years -- which eventually led to an order for them to be put to sleep.

Government Dog Warden Shinah Simons said that several offers to take the dogs off the owners' hands had been rejected.

Dogs saved And he added that the original court interpretation was that the Magistrate did not have the power to to remove the dogs from the Wilsons and put them up for adoption.

But Mr. Pettingill stepped in after Supreme Court on Monday allowed a 21-day extension to the death penalty and got Dahl and Redeem out of the doghouse in the nick of time.

Mr. Pettingill said: "One section of the relevant law, if interpreted properly, makes provision for the future keeping of the dogs -- it doesn't have to be the owners, it could be anybody. So Mr. Meerabux varied the earlier decision.'' He added: "It's always nice when you get things accomplished and that dogs are going to be all right.

"When it comes to the lives of the animals, they were completely innocent -- it's very rewarding.'' SPCA president Joanne McPhee said her group was delighted to take the dogs over and find them new homes.

She added: "We have been involved with this since last May. The dogs will be released to the SPCA.

"We are thrilled -- this is exactly what we wanted. Mr. Pettingill has proved that the courts have the power to hand them over.

"There are two conditions involved -- we have to give the dogs a complete mental and physical check before and they cannot be adopted by the Wilsons or any of their relatives.'' ANIMALS ALS