A BITTER battle over ownership of a golden Labrador has reached the courtroom.

The dog, called Lunar, was repossessed by the Labrador Lifeline Trust last October.

The trust claimed she was extremely overweight and was being left in a car for long periods of time.

This week Alexandra Hughes, who adopted the dog in May 2004, denied those claims in court, saying that Lunar was like a child to her and that the whole experience has left her traumatised.

Guildford County Court heard the trust repossessed Lunar arguing that as Alexandra had only adopted the dog. The trust still owned the dog.

On a visit in June 2006 by the trust, although Lunar was seen to be healthy and happy, she was deemed to be overweight and discovered that Alexandra, a Salvation Army major, regularly left the dog in a car while conducting home visits and ceremonies.

The court heard that on a second visit on October 18 the trust still believed nothing had been done to solve Lunar's weight problem so the decision was taken to take the dog immediately.

However, the court heard that the trust had never actually weighed the dog before taking her. Veterinary records showed that she had in fact lost 1.5kg.

Penny Medland, area co-ordinator for the trust, said: "I made the decision purely on a welfare basis.

"She was being left in a car for long periods, she had the demeanour of a dog double her age, she was rather dull with not very much spark and overweight."

Alexandra Hughes told the court that after the June visit she had taken Lunar to the vet and started her on a vet controlled diet and that Lunar was never in the car for longer than an hour.

Alexandra Hughes, of Penshurst Way, Eastleigh, said: "I was doing something about her weight and Lunar was losing weight steadily and doing well.

"I didn't notice that she was overweight until a member of the public took a photo of her in June and I thought: Gosh, my dog is looking a bit overweight.'"

The judge said he would return his verdict within the next few weeks.