A WEST Devon-based equine charity has received a supportive cash boost to help with the 'sharp increase' in welfare calls it has received recently.

South West Equine Protection (SWEP) was given £10,000 from Support Adoption for Pets to help pay for a new van to help the organisation attend more welfare calls.

SWEP rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes moorland ponies across Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor. Since 2012, the charity has seen a 78% increase in welfare calls.

A spokesperson for SWEP said: 'This grant has allowed us to have a reliable vehicle that will enable us to carry vital equipment that is needed to attend emergencies involving moorland ponies across Devon and Cornwall.

'There are many different reasons for the sharp increase in welfare call outs for the charity, there is no single factor. This year on Bodmin Moor and some parts of Dartmoor we have received a large number of calls regarding severely emaciated ponies, some of which are heavily in foal.

'All the nutrients a mare ingests goes straight to the growing foal and then once the foal is born they are then converted into milk production.

'Emaciated mares with foals struggle to gain the weight back and many die as a result of starvation, malnutrition and organ failure. As the value of the ponies has dropped, so has the level of care for some areas across our moorland.'

Another reason SWEP gives for the increase in calls it receives is the amount of ponies who are hurt on the roads.

The charity has launched a campaign, 'Look, don't feed, don't touch', to get people to stop feeding ponies on the moor which encourages them into the road. The campaign will run over the summer months when the majority of visitors come to see the ponies.

SWEP said it was not just tourists that did not realise the risk, but also locals that are unaware of the danger they are posing to themselves and the ponies.

The spokesperson added: 'Feeding ponies encourages them to approach humans and vehicles, losing their fear. This is a recipe for disaster. Ponies who are unafraid of cars run the risk of being involved in road traffic accidents. This type of accident can cause serious injury or death.

'Moorland ponies do not need to eat apples and carrots, they are very high in sugar and can cause serious medical conditions.

'Ponies in more popular areas may be fed hundreds of carrots a week, which is not good for them. Feeding too many apples, carrots and "human food" can cause a condition called colic, which causes prolonged pain and suffering and in many cases can be fatal.

'Please think before feeding ponies. You wouldn't feed a stranger's dog or ponies in a field so please don't feed the moorland ponies. You will be doing more harm than good.'

SWEP said feeding the ponies could also cause them to become aggressive, being known to chase, kick and bite people in order to take food. Visitors and their children could end up being seriously hurt.