A HAMPSHIRE granddad whose life was saved by his dog is now sleeping rough in a tent after his landlord told him to choose between his pet or a roof over his head.

Robert Cope has been sleeping in a tent for over a month after he and his wife were evicted from their home in June following their landlord’s decision to sell up.

The 53-year-old has been told he could secure accommodation at a hostel without his dogs, but he is refusing to do so because “he owes them his life”.

Border collie Cotton helped raise the alarm when Mr Cope suffered a serious stroke in 2010, while her sister Bramble laid by his side.

He said: “If you asked me whether or not I would rather keep my dogs or be homeless, it would be my dogs every time.

“I’m just so attached to them and I couldn’t be without them.

“I told the woman from the council – you might as well put me down before you put my dogs down.”

Mr Cope’s situation began to spiral downwards following his stroke in 2010. He was working as an electronic technician at Customer Interconnect and was living with his American wife of eight years in the rented property.

However, things went from bad to worse for the step-grandad of three when he was made redundant from his job in 2012 after the company lost the contract he was working on.

Mr Cope struggled to find re-employment and began taking on temporary agency work, which soon dried up, leaving him on £72 a week Jobseeker’s Allowance.

He now relies on neighbours for the use of shower, bathroom and cooking facilities – something he is “incredibly thankful for”.

Asked how he felt about the situation, Mr Copeon, who lives in Nelson Walk, in Andover, said: “It is degrading.

“I thought we were living in a civilised society yet I’m left living in a tent. I feel the council is failing in its duty to look after residents who pay their taxes.”

Mr Cope’s sister Amanda Harris said he was at “rock bottom”. The Tidworth resident said: “He’s caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

"His morale has really dropped, our mum and I are cooking meals for him and trying to help but it’s so difficult, he’s absolutely desperate. Why should he have to give up his pets, the dog that saved his life?”

Daily Echo:

A Test Valley Borough Council spokesman said: “We would certainly never advise somebody to get rid of their dog; we would simply explain the options available to those with pets.

"Given the limited number of places that will accept dogs, we would encourage those with a dog to look at temporary arrangements for their pet until they are settled and can find somewhere that will accept animals.

"Having a dog does not mean that an individual or family could not be housed, but unfortunately it does reduce the options available to them.”