PEOPLE power has persuaded the owners of a Pokesdown pub to adopt a rescue puppy.

Lola, a 12-week-old husky cross collie, has been settling into her new home at Seabournes pub after a petition urging the owners to take in a rescue dog received more than a hundred signatures.

Sam Rose Lowney, who has worked at the bar for the past six years, set up the petition in a bid to prove to her new bosses, Mark Evans and Laura Williams, that the locals would welcome a four-legged friend.

“I’ve been working here for six years,” she said.

“I wanted my last boss to get a dog but they never did so I thought I would try it with these guys.

“Laura wanted one anyway so I knew at least one of them was up for it.”

Sam left a petition at the bar and put a version on the pub’s Facebook page.

“In the end we had well over a hundred signatures,” she added.

Convinced the locals were in favour of the idea, the new owners, who took over the pub in December, agreed to take in a dog from Dorset Dog Rescue.

Mark said: “I had one company and then we took on this one. I said to Laura we need to find our feet before we actually get a dog, but with all the barrage from the staff, Laura and the locals I didn’t really have a choice.”

“I was bullied into it,” he joked.

Mark said the pooch has settled in well to her new home and has been making friends.

He said: “She is absolutely gorgeous. So many people have come in to see her and have had their picture taken with her.

“She rules the roost.”