His dog, Royce, is a 13-year-old cross staffordshire terrier and bull mastiff.

Mr Coulter fought back tears as he described how pound officers, accompanied by police, came to his door and demanded his dog.

``They said he's a dangerous breed; they say he's a pit bull,'' he said.

``I said: `No he's not; I can prove that'.''

He said Royce has never harmed any person or any other animal.

``He's so timid, he's scared of his own shadow,'' Mr Coulter said.

He said he did not know if Blacktown pound was acting on any complaints, nor could he see that any complaint was justified.

He said council officers previously told him he would have to desex Royce and build a special backyard cage for him.

Mr Coulter had his dog desexed, despite his age, but said it was cruel and unnecessary to build a cage.

Blacktown councillor Russ Dickens, who is also a veterinarian, said taking Mr Coulter's dog from him was an outrage.

``It's reprehensible and draconian that this still happens in Blacktown,'' Cr Dickens said.

He said he has treated Mr Coulter's dog over the years and was unaware of any complaints about him.

``I'll be following this up,'' he said.

A Blacktown Council spokesman said Royce was alive and in an animal holding facility.

``The dog was seized because it was deemed a restricted breed and the owner had failed to comply with the legislated requirements for housing the dog,'' he said.

``The owner had continually failed to meet the legal requirements with regard to housing the dog despite numerous requests by the council.''

Mr Coulter said: ``If Royce had done something wrong I'd understand.

``I wouldn't keep a dog that bit people.''