After two years and seven months on death row, Mylo the American staffordshire terrier cross returned to his family on Friday afternoon, two days after a Judge found he was not a pit bull terrier.

Freshly de-sexed, the dog walked out of the North Melbourne Lost Dogs Home into the arms of his owner, Jessica Gray, and her daughter, Brodie. He sniffed happily at the waiting media, then along the fence, before climing into the back seat of the family car for a trip to the park.

Mylo's breed has been in question ever since the council found him wandering the streets in May 2012. Brimbank City Council declared Mylo was a restricted breed and should be put down.

But his owner Jessica Gray disputed this and her case was picked up by the Barristers Animal Welfare Panel, which successfully argued through multiple VCAT hearings and Supreme Court appeals that Mylo did not meet the standards for a pit bull.