Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary appeal after cat trap stolen

The charity said "it's not the ending we were hoping for" after the attempt to catch a mother cat whose kittens had been rescued days before. 

A passerby spotted two young kittens in the bushes alongside discarded furniture on the bank of the River Thames in an Oxfordshire village, and the sanctuary were able to catch the "vulnerable" and hungry animals. 

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They were then told that an adult cat was seen in the same location, and set a trap to try and bring in what they supposed to be the mother of the two black kittens. 

The kittens were abandoned on the bank of the River Thames (Image: Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary) In a statement made over the weekend, the sanctuary said: "Being a small team, we don't have the resources to wait with the trap, but the location only five minutes from the sanctuary meant that we could check it regularly. 

"Sadly, it has been stolen, leaving us in a situation where we have no trap and we are now unsure if mum was in the trap or if it was taken to be sold for scrap metal. 

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"This is really saddening, especially given the circumstances."

Donations to Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary can be made on its website: oxfordshireanimalsanctuary.org.uk

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The sanctuary added that the trap, worth more than £250, had its details on it, so "anyone who saw it would know why it was there". 

An appeal was launched to raise money for a new trap, or even two to enable the charity to loan one out to people with missing pets.

The community has already come out in support, raising more than £500 for sanctuary to continue its work.