An elderly dog was refused entry to his favourite supermarket after a security guard mistook him for a dangerous breed.

Shadow, a 12-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, has accompanied owner Jo Andrews on her shopping trips to Tesco in George Street, Richmond, since he was a puppy.

But the Church Road resident was left shocked and upset after a security guard allegedly described her four-legged friend as a "killer pitbull" and barred the pair from the shop on Monday, October 21.

The 69-year-old said: "Shadow is an old dog and he's not been very well lately. He just waits in the hallway, away from the food.

"I was with my cousin who had been waiting with Shadow in the hallway area of the shop.

"But when I came out, they were outside and the security guard was shouting at my dog to get out.

"I told him this little dog is not a pitbull but he would not have it."

Ms Andrews said she was shaken by the way Shadow was treated and said she would not return to the supermarket after the incident.

She said:"If the man had just explained that they have changed their policy not to let dogs in then that would have been fine."

Tesco confirmed they ask for dogs not to be brought into shops.

A Tesco spokesman said: "We ask our customers not to bring their pets into our stores, so the security guard asked politely if our customer could wait with her dog outside the store."

 

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