I AM writing with concern to the recent articles of this week and last on the case of Miss Hughes who recently had her dog repossessed for welfare reasons, I would like to express my concern at the Daily Echo's lack of fair representation in this case.

As a member of the family of a former area co-ordinator of the Labrador Rescue Trust and a good friend for many years of the Labrador Lifeline co-ordinator, I was most dismayed at the way the newspaper has slammed their reputation by use of statements made by the lady concerned in the re-homing of Lunar'. I have been around this charity and its helpers for a good part of my life and strongly disagree with the statements of Miss Hughes and Mr Whelan, who from reading the articles actually has no legal claim to the dog that he is requesting be returned.

The Labrador Lifeline Trust is a genuine charity that only has the best interests of the dogs as their prime concern and always has done, the amount of good they have done is uncountable. If there was a case for repossession of Lunar then I know for a fact that they would have taken this very seriously indeed, because to re-home an already re-homed dog causes stress to the dog and this action is only taken when the stress of re-homing outweighs the stress of staying put. To smear a charity in this way is utterly contemptible, how would Miss Hughes feel if the same had been done to the salvation army, also a charity, I am not saying that as a charity they are above criticism, but to completely destroy their reputation as a legitimate and caring charity is unforgivable.

I have always been a reader of the Bournemouth Daily Echo and to think that it is affiliated with a newspaper that obviously has a biased and unfair reporting technique has made me reconsider my feelings for local journalism. I will no longer buy any of your newspapers and request that a counter article from the point of view of the Trust helpers be printed to balance this witch hunt.

If your newspaper group has an ounce of decency, of which it has displayed none then you will print a counter article, write a letter of apology to the members of the Trust concerned, respond to this letter and strongly reconsider how you represent your local readers.

J BARROW, Bournemouth.

Editor's comment: This is one of the few letters we have received supporting the actions of the charity.