Customer told to leave bank over 12-week-old puppy

Richard Dennett, of Sixpenny Handley, went into the Salisbury branch of Halifax on Friday to pay a credit card bill with his spaniel Skye in his arms.

“No one said a word, I went to the cash point and waited in the queue for about five minutes and was just about to get served when a woman said, ‘get out you’re not allowed in with a dog’,” said Mr Dennett, who has autism.

“It was absolutely disgraceful. There was no ‘excuse me, would you mind possibly leaving the building?’ It was quite abrupt.”

He added: “It was embarrassing. I was being treated like some sort of criminal for having a puppy. It was crazy.”

Mr Dennett said staff quoted health and safety regulations.

He said if it had been a food shop “fair enough” and that Skye was in his arms, not on the floor.

“Health and safety, what is she going to do, she is a puppy. She might drool on you with her saliva,” he said.

“It is absolutely ludicrous that they made such a big commotion about it.”

Mr Dennett said another customer offered to hold Skye while he paid his bill and was holding her near the doorway of the bank, and was also spoken to by staff.

“It was embarrassing the way they were behaving,” said Mr Dennett. “All I was trying to do was pay my credit card bill.”

He thanked the woman who held Skye while he paid his bill.

He said: “She is a little puppy, it is pretty obvious I can’t leave her outside. It is not like she was barking or doing anything in my arms.

“It was ridiculous, if she was whining or barking or doing something, fine.”

Mr Dennett said he had been to another bank and not experienced any problems.

He said: “If you are going to enforce things there needs to be a bit of common sense.”

A Halifax spokesman said: “Due to previous incidents, guide dogs are the only animals allowed inside our branches.

“This is for the safety of our customers and colleagues.

“This is made clear in a sign on the branch door and we would always aim to advise our customers of this politely.”