Shetland pony mother 'distraught' as foal stolen

Police are appealing for information to help safely return a two-month-old Shetland foal which was stolen from the Truro area last week.

Lucy, a female chestnut skewbald, was taken between 11 and 12 July from farmland near Allet.

Her owner Jean Curd said the foal's mother Nancy had been "really distraught" for the first couple of days and "just kept calling" for her foal as she continued to look for her.

Ms Curd said she was extremely concerned about the condition Lucy was in as she had not been due to be weaned from her mother's milk for another four months.

Ms Curd said: "We wouldn't normally wean her until six months old, so whoever's taken her needs to really look after her and understand what she needs.

"You can't just turn her into a field and assume she's going to survive - she won't."

She explained the foal needed specialist milk and food along with a lot of care.

PC Lucy Wyatt, Devon and Cornwall Police's equine crime lead, said they were concerned about Lucy's health.

"At this age, foals are reliant on their mother's milk and we are fearing for Lucy's safety," she said.

PC Leigh Skinner, who is investigating the theft, said there was evidence the foal was stolen in a vehicle which was likely to have been a large hatchback or a people carrier.

He said: "She's liftable, she's quite small, sort of Labrador-sized so she would be quite easy to lift over the fence and be put in the back of a car, sadly."

Ms Curd said she could not understand why anyone would take such a young foal from its mother.

She said she thought perhaps someone saw Lucy, liked her and then took her.

"She is adorable, she's absolutely wonderful, she'll follow you around in a field just like a dog," she said.

However, the foal would never be valuable like a show jumping or riding horse and would be subject to expensive vet bills, she added.

She said: "I'm worried that someone's got her and now realise they can't cope.

"If somebody is in this position I'm asking them seriously not to keep hold of her.

"Bring her back or put her in a safe field or yard somewhere and just let us know where she is and we'll go and pick her up.

"Please - just return her."

PC Wyatt said the force wanted to hear from anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity or vehicles in the area.

Anyone with information should contact police, she said.

"Equally, if you have Lucy, please bring her home."

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