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A distraught donkey was spotted on camera crying for her newborn foal after it was stolen from a breeding farm.
Baby Moon was cruelly snatched from a field at Miller’s Ark farm in Hampshire on Monday – and now a £10,000 reward is being offered for her safe return.
The nationwide campaign has sparked outrage across the country, with animal lovers calling for the two-month-old to be reunited with his mother Astra.
Farm owner Elizabeth Miller said she realized Moon was missing when she went to bring all the mothers and their foals from the fields in the evening.
Elizabeth is gravely worried that the adorable foal is not strong enough to survive without his mother, just like Astra, who is not doing well without her baby.
Distressed donkey Astra was spotted on camera crying for her newborn foal after it was stolen from an animal farm
Two-month-old Baby Moon was cruelly snatched from a field at Miller’s Ark farm in Hampshire on Monday
The pair were said to be inseparable – and now a £10,000 reward is up for grabs for the colt’s safe return
She said TVI: ‘Astra was completely devastated, just really stressed, pacing along the fence, bawling.
“She doesn’t know what to do with herself because all her natural instincts are to find the foal.”
Elizabeth added that the poor donkey was so distraught she had barely eaten since the incident, but every effort was now in place to reunite the couple.
She also suggested that with the presence of unfamiliar faces on the farm, the foal could have been brushed aside as staff tended to visiting tourists.
She said: ‘We believe she may have been lifted over the fence and taken away. They’re very small and they’re very friendly, so we think that’s what happened.
Hampshire Police and Isle of Wight News are on the case to find baby Moon and finally reunite her with her mother.
In a post on Facebookthe agency said: “A rescue team is on standby and available if the location is disclosed to us 24/7 and we will ensure that your personal data remains completely anonymous.”
Farm owner Elizabeth Miller fears Moon was abducted while staff were busy dealing with tourists
Elizabeth is gravely worried the adorable foal isn’t strong enough to survive without his mother
“This reward does not go through the police or any other organization so information would have to be passed directly to us in our message section for a reward to be paid once verified.”
“If you prefer to contact the police, please call 101 with reference 44230191581.”
In recent years, pet thefts have reached a seven-year high, with the equivalent of eight dogs being stolen every day.
In 2021 alone, 2,760 dogs were taken from their owners and the number of heartbreaking thefts has increased by 16% since 2015, according to new data.
The breeds most likely to be targeted are French bulldogs, followed by Jack Russell terriers and other small dogs like Chihuahuas and pugs, figures revealed under the Freedom of Information Act and compiled by the Direct Line Pet Insurance issue.
Coronavirus restrictions over the past two years have led to a boom in the puppy market, with 3.8 million people acquiring a dog during the pandemic.
Demand has led to an increase in the cost of dogs, with purebred French Bulldogs costing upwards of £3,000, making them a lucrative target for criminals.
London was the worst affected area with 422 incidents reported to Met Police, followed by West Yorkshire and Kent.
A donkey was spotted crying for her foal after it was stolen from animal farm