A severely ill Shetland pony that was dumped under the cover of darkness next to a livery yard in Warwickshire has been rescued by the RSPCA and is now recovering at Redwings.

The dark bay pony was discovered tied to a lamppost near Rouncil Lane, Kenilworth in Warwickshire on the evening of Saturday 10 September. The police, who attended the scene, found the pony to be extremely weak and struggling for breath. They immediately called the RSPCA for assistance.

"I honestly thought the pony was dying in front of me when I arrived" said RSPCA Inspector Jonathan Ratcliffe. "She was very unwell, was lethargic and had discharge coming from her nose and mouth. We paid for an equine vet to attend who administered emergency treatment for Strangles, which is an extremely contagious equine disease."

The RSPCA contacted Redwings and they agreed to take the pony, who has since named Peggy, into their care. Peggy is now receiving all the treatment she needs and is making good progress, although she is sadly very nervous after her ordeal.

"It is quite simply disgusting behaviour for anyone to dump such a sick animal. It is cowardly of those responsible not to seek veterinary treatment for their animal when they must have known how ill she was. I would like to hear from anyone who recognises the pony, who we believe to be less than two years old," said Inspector Ratcliffe.

Anyone with information about the pony can contact the RSPCA national cruelty and advice line on 0300 1234 999 leaving a message for inspector Jonathan Ratcliffe, or contact the Redwings Welfare team on 01508 481008.

You can also follow Peggy's progress on the Redwings website or their Facebook page.