ALL he wants is his beloved dog back.

However, Hampshire man Sean Whelan appears to be the latest person to fall foul of a dog charity that is refusing to reunite him with his beloved Labrador.

The 41-year-old's pet called Rooney was handed over to the Labrador Lifeline Trust while Sean was looking for a new house.

Within two weeks the dad-of-two had found a property, complete with big garden but when he asked volunteers from the charity to return his pet they refused.

It is the second case in as many days involving the charity.

The Daily Echo revealed on Saturday how Salvation Army officer Alexandra Hughes was left distraught when her Labrador, Lunar, was taken away without warning.

Miss Hughes, commanding officer of the Eastleigh branch, told how volunteers from the charity turned up and took the four-year-old dog, citing that it was overweight, its claws were too long and it had allegedly been left in a car in high temperatures.

Miss Hughes had Lunar for two and a half years since adopting him from the trust. The dog became well known in the community and visited hundreds of sick patients as a pet therapy dog.

Today, Mr Whelan said he had "real worries" about the trust - who also claimed his dog was overweight - and demanded to know where Rooney was.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Mr Whelan, who works for an IT company said: "Rooney was handed over to this charity when there was a change in my circumstances, but now I'm preparing to move into a house and I want him back. At the time I called them and begged them to give me two weeks, but when I asked that Rooney be returned they said no - he isn't my dog."

He added: "They said Rooney was overweight as well. But when I said I walked him for up to an hour a day and I took him on a long walk once a month they said it was unfair, because Rooney underwent an operation when he was a puppy.

"It's all be devastating. He was really popular with people who knew him. From a charity you would expect a bit of compassion and understanding but this treatment seems very brutal and cold.

"I have concerns about Rooney. I want to know where he is and how he is. I was told initially that I would get an email and that these people would be in touch about Rooney's welfare, that I would be sent pictures and informed about how he was getting on but I have heard nothing.

"After reading the story about Lunar I was very alarmed. These dogs seem to disappear into the abyss."

Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne said: "The trust does seem to lack flexibility and appears to be acting in a high-handed way."

Mr Huhne said he had still not heard from the trust in relation to Lunar, having written on behalf of Miss Hughes.

Last night a spokeswoman for the trust said she would be happy to talk to Mr Whelan by telephone. She refused to be drawn on the whereabouts of either Lunar or Rooney.