Dogs seized as Shetland pony found dead on Christmas Eve

Monty's horrified owner found him in his stable in Burntwood at around 6am on Saturday.

The rescue pony lived in a specially constructed stable, which had been put together by his owner, Gary Cope, who had looked after him for four years.

Mr Cope, who lives in Great Wyrley, went to check up on Monty in the morning before he went to work at a haulage firm in Brownhills.

But he found him dead at Lambs Lodge Farm, off Ogley Hay Road, where he was kept.

Mr Cope's daughter, Kelle Wildman, aged 32, said that Monty's death had ruined Christmas for her father, and said she believed the animal had been killed by dogs.

She added: "My dad goes up to the stable at 6am. Monty was just lying in his paddock, that was not like him.

"He had his throat ripped out. He's a rescue pony so he couldn't even run."

Of the impact it has had on her father, 61, she said: "It's ruined his Christmas – it was his reason for getting up every morning.

"We have got dogs in the family.

"We love them to bits – but these are not dogs."

She said the attack was made worse by the fact that Monty was aged just 12 when some Shetland ponies can live for up to 50 years.

She urged friends on Facebook to be aware of any dangerous dogs in the area.

She wrote: "There are lots of paw prints around the paddock.

"Please keep your eyes out for any strange dogs around your yards if you're in that area and please phone the police to let them know as we have had to."

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "We were contacted just after 7.15am in the morning of Christmas Eve following calls that a Shetland pony had been attacked by three dogs.

"The Shetland pony was deceased. Specialist dog handlers attended the scene and three dogs are currently being held in police kennels while an investigation is carried out."

The spokesman said no-one had been arrested over the alleged offence but that police know who the owners of the dogs are.

Anyone with any information that can help police is asked to call Staffordshire Police on 101 and quote incident number 211 of 24/12/16.