Publican hits the headlines for social media post over drunken punter's forgotten pooch

The owner of the Dreadnought, in Leith, Edinburgh, took to social media to share what had happened to him with "the reprobates who frequent the pub", he said.

Along with a picture of himself with a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the background, he wrote in a Facebook post: "When your wife wants to know why you didn't come home last night and you have to produce evidence to support your implausible claim that one of the punters forgot to take their dog with them.

"Both now happily reunited with our owners."

The publican also took to twitter, and joked: "So the pissed-up woman who forgot her dog on Saturday night has just given us a 4* review. Hang on, I looked after your dog all night. Merlot too cold, apparently."

The two posts, and the several comments they produced, meant the publican ended up in national newspapers including The Sun and The Independent​ ​as well as the Mail Online ​and the ​Mirror Online​.

Understandable mistake

In response, the licensee has felt the need to issue a statement so that he doesn't "embarrass himself or the dog owner" any more. 

He wrote: "So I've been thrown to the mercy of the Daily Mail comments section. I won't venture anywhere near it myself but, true to form, my mates are firing over the more acidic ones."

He continued: "The post was intended as a mildly amusing anecdote for the reprobates who frequent the pub. Particularly those who were in at the time and offered to take the dog home and look after it.

"It was a genuine and, in many ways, understandable mistake on the part of the dog's two owners and the lass was distraught when she collected the dog next morning.

"I was perfectly happy to keep it company and it was as good as gold all night.

"If I'd wanted the publicity, I'd have brushed my hair and worn a nicer vest. I don't want to embarrass the dog owner or myself any further so I won't be responding to media requests (there have been a good number).

"I now need to get back to trying to fix the plumbing in the men's toilets."