A petition set up by a Carlisle woman calling on a care home to let a pensioner keep his dog has attracted more than 60,000 signatures.

Bob Harvey, 87, has been told he can no longer keep his miniature schnauzer, Darkie, at Ecclefechan's Burnfoot Hall Care Home where the pair have lived for the past four years.

Tracey Graham Streit, who lives off Brampton Old Road, set up the change.org petition after her dad Harry Graham – a former colleague of Bob's – told her about the situation.

Tracey said that Mr Harvey had never been told Darkie's presence in the home was a problem, but managing director Michael Best said he has witnessed the dog barking and fouling in the building. He said that doors are often left open giving Darkie “free reign” in the home, but that it leaves elderly residents “freezing” in the winter months.

Tracey told the News & Star: “I've been up to see Bob myself and he's absolutely distraught. In the four years since he moved to the home it's never been a problem. The old manager and the other residents love Darkie.”

A target of 75,000 signatures has been set on the online petition, which has taken Tracey by surprise. "When I set it up, I didn't expect to get 100 signatures," she said. "I just wanted to try and show Bob a bit of support. He lives alone, his wife died and he has no children so Darkie is all he's got.

"There's another petition on Facebook which is doing well, too."

Burnfoot Hall said that a meeting was held with Mr Harvey on December 16 in which it was agreed that Darkie would stay with him until the new year.

After that Darkie would go to live with a member of staff and would be allowed to visit Mr Harvey regularly and stay with him one night a week.

"Bob's quite soft and I think that he's been backed into a corner," Tracey said. "I've asked for another meeting so that he can have some representation.

"He's really distraught so he won't have just let this happen. I don't understand why Bob can't be moved to a ground floor room so the dog can get outside quickly."

In a statement, Mr Best explained the decision taken by Burnfoot Hall.

He said: "I have witnessed personally this dog coming out of nowhere, barking and becoming aggressive at a family to the point where a mother and grandmother were forced to shield the two young children.

"Fire doors are consistently left open so that the dog has free reign. This leaves residents freezing in the winter months as the cold air comes in.

"Over time this dog has been allowed to run freely. The home is housing mostly vulnerable residents, people that need care.

"These people have limited mobility and sensory abilities, it is not safe.

"I have witnessed dog foul several times in the last fortnight, both inside and outside and that it had eaten from Mr Harvey's dinner plate.

"If Mr Harvey insists on keeping the dog, he will have to find somewhere else to live."