A woman who set up a petition to let a pensioner keep his dog wants to take her protest to parliament.

Tracey Graham Streit, of Carlisle, decided to start collecting signatures on the site change.org in support of 87-year-old Bob Harvey.

Mr Harvey, who lives at Ecclefechan's Burnfoot Hall Care Home for the past four years, has been told that he could no longer keep his miniature schnauzer, Darkie.

Tracey says she is overwhelmed by the response from people across the UK and having surpassed her aim of 75,000 signatures - and is now looking to break the 100,000 barrier to take it to the Scottish Parliament.

"I was approached by a legal advocate who said that the SNP Government were aware of the situation," Tracey, who lives off Brampton Old Road, told the News & Star.

"He said that for the petition to go to parliament, we needed to get 100,000 signatures, so we've kept it going and that's what we're pushing for."

Tracey said she became aware of Mr Harvey's situation after her dad - Harry Graham, a former colleague of his - told her that care home bosses had made the heartbreaking decision.

"The response we've had has been absolutely brilliant," she added.

"There hasn't been any update from the home, but Bob keeps asking what's happening and he's aware of the support he's received. People have been sending him Christmas cards as well, which has been great."

Before Christmas, 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.

Tracey added: "It's a little bit of a race against time. We're hoping that we'll be able to get a three-month extension - we want to get something sorted out - and we're hoping to keep him there."

Outlining the reasons for the decision, managing director Michael Best 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."

Anyone who wishes to sign the petition can do so by visiting www.change.org and searching for "Let Bob keep his dog".