PHOTOGRAPHS showing a council employee's pet dog frolicking on the desks at work have sparked anger from residents.
The images were posted on the Facebook page of Lynsey Regler, who works in North East Lincolnshire Council's call centre.
Appearing under the heading "Berts first day at work!" the pictures showed the pet pooch romping around on the desk, apparently chewing a phone cable and having headphones put on it by a member of staff.
The photos prompted several light-hearted responses on Facebook.
One person posted: "Omg that's adorable"; while another wrote, "I thought most of the council operators sounded like dogs lol."
But others failed to see the funny side. One angry resident e-mailed the Grimsby Telegraph describing the photographs as "disgusting" and "proof that the council has gone to the dogs".
Meanwhile, Grimsby man Mike Clipson fired off an e-mail of complaint to council chief executive Tony Hunter.
In response, Mr Hunter said there were "specific circumstances" for the dog being allowed in to work, but accepted the Facebook pictures were "less appropriate" and wouldn't happen again.
The offending photographs were promptly removed from the page.
In his e-mail, Mr Clipson, 66 of Lambert Road, Grimsby, wrote: "There have been a good many occasions when I have rung your main line and had a great deal of difficulty getting through, while I had assumed this would be because lines were busy, I am now left with the question that possibly I was interrupting 'play time'."
In an open response copied to the Grimsby Telegraph, Mr Hunter replied: "The call centre manager Mary Vessey and I have spoken about this matter and while it would not be appropriate to share details, I would ask you to accept that there were specific circumstances which Mary took into account in allowing the puppy to be in the work environment on this occasion.
"She and I however do accept that the Facebook content was less appropriate and this won't happen again."
After being pressed by Mr Clipson to elaborate on the "specific circumstances", Mr Hunter said he was "not prepared to discuss internal matters further".
Speaking to the Grimsby Telegraph, Mr Clipson said: "There simply is no reason at all 'specific' or otherwise why this dog was at the call centre – that's a ridiculous statement for Mr Hunter to make, and I do think that this should allow the public to take their animals into the council offices.
"It may seem like an insignificant matter but it's an indication of how some council employees conduct themselves when out of the public gaze, and they do so because they feel safe to do so.
"It also demonstrates a disregard for the workplace and the property within it, which let's be fair all has to be paid for. The council are answerable to us, but they seem to forget this or even disregard this – either way it's not acceptable.
"The call centre routes calls that could be important or urgent and while someone might be urgently trying to get through, the staff were clearly not getting on the with job that they are paid to do."
Another resident said: "While the council bleat about lack of funds, their employees enjoy being paid to behave like school kids.
"This was also loaded onto Facebook while these people were at work – ie while we were paying their wages. This little dog is running about on desks. Yes, he's mega cute, but he belongs in the house not at work. The computer screens are visible while the dog frolics on the desk. Disgusting."
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