A donkey was spotted crying for her foal after it was stolen from animal farm

A distraught donkey was spotted on camera crying for her newborn foal after it was stolen from an animal 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 its safe return.

The national campaign has sparked outrage across the country, with animal lovers calling for the two-month-old to be reunited with its mother Astra.

The farm's owner, Elizabeth Miller, said she realised Moon was missing when she went to bring all of the mothers and foals back from the fields in the evening. 

Elizabeth is gravely concerned that the adorable foal may not be strong enough to survive without it's mother, likewise Astra, who isn't coping well without her baby.

Distressed donkey Astra, was spotted on camera crying for her newborn foal after it was stolen from an animal farm

Baby Moon, aged two months, 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 foal's safe return 

She told ITV: 'Astra has been just completely devastated, just really stressed, pacing up and down the fence line, braying. 

'She doesn't know what to do with herself because all of 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 all efforts were now in place to reunite the pair. 

She also suggested that with the presence of unfamiliar faces at the farm, the foal could have been swiped as staff looked after visiting tourists.

She said: 'We feel 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 has 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 Facebook, the agency said: 'A rescue team are on standby and available if the location is disclosed to us 24/7 and we will ensure your personal details remain totally anonymous.'

The farm's owner, Elizabeth Miller, fears Moon may have been abducted while staff were busy tending to tourists

Elizabeth is gravely concerned that the adorable foal may not be strong enough to survive without it's mother

'This reward is not through the Police or any other Organisations so information would need to be passed directly to us on our message section for a reward to be paid once verified.'

'If you would rather contact the police then please call 101 with the reference 44230191581.'

In recent years, animal thefts have reached a seven-year high, with the equivalent of eight dogs being stolen every single day.

In 2021 alone 2,760 dogs were snatched from their owners, and the number of heart-breaking thefts has risen 16 per cent since 2015, according to new data.

The most likely breeds 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 Direct Line Pet Insurance show.

Coronavirus restrictions over the last couple of years have led to a boom in the puppy market, with 3.8 million people getting a dog during the pandemic.

The demand has led to a rise in the cost of dogs, with pedigree French Bulldogs costing upwards of £3000, making them a lucrative target for criminals.

London was the worst hit area with 422 incidents reported to the Met police, followed by West Yorkshire and Kent.