Abandoned foal put down

Twinkle was being fed milk every two hours by tube

Vets have put down a foal who was seriously ill after being abandoned in Cornwall.

The foal, named Twinkle by the vets, was discovered cold and weak in a lane at Trewint, near Launceston, last week.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said they feared she was stolen from her mother and then dumped as a prank.

Twinkle had responded well to some treatment, but was reliant on 24-hour care and so the decision was taken to put her down on Sunday.

Vets said they believed Twinkle was brain damaged, possibly because of something which occurred during birth.

She was being fed milk every two hours via a tube to keep her alive.

But vets were concerned by her apparent reduced perception of her environment and her inability to respond to nearby noises, so she was put to sleep.