Two judges, Lord Prosser and Lord Allanbridge, sitting in Edinburgh, have granted her owners permission to appeal against an order to have her put down.

The full hearing will take place at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh on 20 November.

Owners Anne and Terry Swankie will be represented at the hearing by one of Scotland's leading barristers, Gordon Jackson, QC, and movie star turned animal rights campaigner Brigitte Bardot is likely to attend.

The Swankies said: "We are thrilled that we have overcome this hurdle and hope that the Appeal Court will also come down on Woofie's side.

"We would like to thank the thousands of people in Scotland who have come forward to show their support for our pet."

Condemned to death for barking

Woofie, who was sentenced to death even though she did not bite anyone, has dominated headlines in Scotland.

She came to the attention of the authorities after she chased and barked at a postman.

Mr Swankie, 52, from Peterhead, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to a breach of the Dangerous Dogs Act after accepting that Woofie was "dangerously out of control in a public place".

He said he expected to be fined and was shocked when Peterhead Sheriff Court decided the three-year-old collie-boxer cross bitch should be put down.

Ms Bardot said last week: "I can't believe Scottish justice can be so hard for a poor dog who has not even bitten the man."

Campaigners believe it could be the first time in the UK a dog faces being put down without injuring anyone and The National Canine Defence League has described the original decision to destroy the dog as "appalling".

The couple's lawyer, Kevin Cooper, said: "I am meeting with Mr and Mrs Swankie and Woofie tomorrow to discuss our tactics for the appeal.

"Between Gordon Jackson, QC, and I, we shall give it everything we've got."