The Shetland star of the RSCPA’s heart-warming festive film has found her own fairy-tale ending – a new home for Christmas as a therapy pony.
Poor Tink was rescued by the RSPCA after being abandoned, up to her tummy in a muddy, wet field.
The plucky pony stars as the lonely horse who dreams of being a reindeer in the charity’s Christmas video for their festive appeal Stock the Sleigh for the RSPCA and has now landed another starring role – as a children’s therapy pony. 
With the video racking up more than 190,000 views online, Tink had become an overnight sensation. She was spotted by the team at Staunton Country Park in Hampshire, who knew they could offer Tink the perfect home where she would thrive, as well as be able to meet her adoring fans.
Lisa Clark, education officer at Staunton Country Park, said: “Tink will spend this Christmas settling in properly to her new home and in the New Year, we’ll start introducing her slowly to learning to become a therapy pony.
“Given her background being abandoned and rescued and coming through tough times after she was shown love and care, it’s particularly special she is now going to be giving so much joy to people.”
Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage, Councillor Sean Woodward, said: “We are very pleased to have worked with the RSPCA to give Tink the miniature Shetland Pony a permanent home at Staunton Country Park. She will be a much-loved addition to the park’s farm attraction – also making a wonderful difference as a therapy pony, especially to our younger and older visitors. It’s great to see her already settling in with our other new arrival. Pudding the pony, and bonding with existing ponies, Tilly and Yarrow. It seems fitting that Tink has arrived at her new home in time for Christmas.”
The RSPCA expects more than 10,000 vulnerable animals, like Tink to be taken in by the RSPCA over the winter months, in desperate need of medicines, food, warmth and loving care.
RSPCA inspectors, animals’ welfare officers, and animal centre staff work 365 days a year to care for animals and Christmas is no exception.
On Christmas day in 2018 the charity received 934 calls to its cruelty line – the highest number for five years and a 28% increase compared with 2017.
Our Christmas campaign, Stock the Sleigh for the RSPCA, will help the charity to deliver vital, lifesaving supplies to suffering animals who desperately need us. To help the RSPCA care for thousands of animals left out in the cold this Christmas visit www.rspca.org.uk/giftofkindness.
Patricia Spargo, manager at RSPCA Lockwood Equine Centre where Tink was cared for said: “It’s lovely to think that Tink’s role in the video helping other rescue animals at Christmas time paved the way for her new life at the park working with children. Tink is a sociable pony who will enjoy life in the bustling park atmosphere, we are so happy she has found a home.”
