MY husband and I are Norwegians living now in the beautiful town of Bournemouth blessed with conifers reminiscent of our homeland

We are confirmed Anglophiles but I have to say we are distressed by something we keep hearing from friends and acquaintances; namely a nasty and totally unwarranted refusal on the part of landlords and indeed of the council to countenance pets.

In an age when millions of British people are elderly vulnerable without relatives and lonely the companionship of a pet is essential for their health and wellbeing and to deny them this is a gross discrimination of a particularly arrogant and gross kind, showing a lack of understanding and care.

There is no reason for this, it's a horrible attitude on the part of those who just enjoy throwing their weight about which has seemingly spread in the last few years.

May we suggest to please contact your MP and/or Help the Aged and your local councillor so as to help remedy this outrage

The English were always admired as being a country of animal lovers or is that now a thing of the past in what seems to be an increasingly cruel age?

Please remember you have to stand up to bullies whoever they may be.

Gro Krista Eltroet

Bournemouth