FOR the last three months he has devoted his spare time to looking after his beloved pets.

But thieves have left a 13-year-old devastated after they stole his two pygmy goats.

Brandon Brady discovered that brother and sister Phoenix and Pepper were gone when he went out to feed them one morning and found their pen wide open.

Now the teenager fears he will never see them again.

The animal lover, who attends the Gregg School, in Townhill Park, in Southamp-ton, said: “I’m really worried about them, I’m worried that the people that took them will split them up or not feed them properly or hurt them.

“I can’t stop thinking about how they are going to be treated.”

Brandon has had the goats three months and feeds and spends time with them twice a day.

The five-month-old goats, who are nearly fully grown at 2ft high and are both black and white, have been together since they were born.

Phoenix has a red collar and Pepper a pink collar.

They were kept in the garden and the family believe the thieves got into their garden from a field next door through a hedge.

The family, which includes mother Becky, 42-year-old father Shaun and 21-month-old Tamara, also has two chickens and an Indian runner duck.

At first, Brandon feared his goats had got out, then realised wood had been put in to block off parts of the pen to make it easier for the thieves to corner the animals.

But he believes maybe the thieves were unaware the goats were pets.

He appealed for those responsible to return them.

Mum Becky Brady, 41, said: “They should think about people’s feelings. They’re causing a lot of upset and distress – they have obviously had not thought about anybody else.”

Police are investigating and are appealing for anyone with information on the incident to call PC Stuart Grover at Park Gate police on 101.