A one-eyed Shetland pony belonging to the Blue Cross who was stolen from his field in Gloucestershire has been found tied up in a graveyard near Bristol.
Basil was on loan from the national charity’s rehoming centre in Burford, Oxfordshire, to Ali Bluck when he was stolen from her home in Gloucestershire on the evening of 21 May.
Following great support from the public and other animal welfare charities, the pony was found by a dog walker last Sunday, abandoned in a graveyard around half an hour away from his home.
Basil’s picture and description had been shared widely across social media, including by eventer Mary King and Deborah Meaden from Dragons’ Den.
Now settling in well back at home, Basil has been checked by a vet and found to have a minor eye infection which is being treated but is otherwise in good health.
Ms Bluck said: “I’m thrilled to have Basil back home and want to thank everyone for their support in getting his story out to the public.
“I was devastated when he was taken and worried what would happen to him. He’s settling back into his routine and I think he knows he’s home by the way he was pawing the ground for his breakfast this morning. I’m just over the moon to have him back.”
Blue Cross pet charity was overwhelmed by the support received to get Basil back home, with many taking to social media to share the pony’s description in a bid to make him “too hot to handle.”
Jen Hubbard, Horse Welfare Coordinator at Blue Cross, said: “We are delighted to share that Basil is now safely back home.
“We want to give special thanks to all the members of public, the other animal welfare charities and the police for their help and support, which enabled us to get Basil’s picture shared far and wide over the last week.
“We’re so happy he’s been found safe and well and has been reunited with Ali.”
Gloucestershire Police said no arrests have been made but enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting incident number 479.
