Heartbroken boy wants stolen pony home for Christmas
The RSPCA is hoping for a Christmas miracle to reunite a heartbroken five-year-old boy with his stolen pony.
Tic Toc the 24-year-old pony has been missing for more than two weeks and his five-year-old owner Josh Carnegie is desperate to have his ‘best-friend’ home for Christmas.
The elderly pony has a condition called Cushings which affects his feet and gives him a distinctive curly coat.
Josh’s mum Catriona Carnegie said: “Josh is absolutely devastated. He has grown up with Tic Toc, they are best friend. Last year he wrote a letter to Father Christmas asking him to make Tic Toc better because he knows he’s on medication for his feet.
“He talks about Tic Toc all the time, he’s been asking why he hasn’t seen him, when he can visit him and when he can ride him.
“I didn’t want to tell Josh that Tic Toc has been stolen but I’ve had to tell him that he’s not living with us anymore. I said he’s gone to retirement home because his feet are bad and hopefully he might come back to us.
“He is absolutely devastated, he’s heartbroken. All we want is to have Tic Toc back for Christmas.”
The 11-hand grey coloured Shetland cross Welsh pony was last seen on December 6 at his field in Ramsey St Mary, Cambridgeshire.
The fencing was intact and three gates to his field were shut so it is thought he was stolen. His desperate owners are offering a £6,000 reward for Tic Toc’s safe return before Christmas.
Cathy Hyde the Chief Equine inspector at the RSPCA said: “It’s absolutely heartbreaking, Tic Toc is obviously a much-loved part of the family and we want to see him back where he belongs as quickly as possible.
“Without his medication Tic Toc could suffer severe dietary problems including colic so it’s absolutely essential that he’s returned for his own health and welfare.
“The RSPCA’s equine inspectors have all got Tic Toc’s details and are keeping an eye out for him on their travels, we have also shared the information with some of our partner charities and equine experts.
“It’s great that so many people are looking for this little pony, we sincerely hope he’ll be back with his family for Christmas.”
Extensive searches have been carried out for Tic Toc in the area including a sweep by a helicopter with a thermal camera.
A Facebook campaign to find Tic Toc has almost 14,000 members who have reported hundreds of potential sightings from across the country.
Celebrities including sports presenter Clare Balding, Olympians Zara Phillips and Charlotte Dujardin, Strictly star Deborah Meaden, comic Eddie Izzard and chef Gordon Ramsey are also helping the search by Tweeting about Tic Toc.
Anyone with information about Tic Toc’s whereabouts should contact the police as soon as possible.
