A kind-hearted vet has reimbursed a charity out of his own pocket after a thief swiped a collection box from his surgery.

Last week the Mercury reported that alcoholic grandfather Philip Goldstone, 56, made off with the Kingsdown Cat Sanctuary’s tin from the Animal House vets in London Road, Deal, on June 30.

Goldstone, from Folkestone, pleaded guilty to the crime alongside a string of other offences and was given a 25-day alcohol rehabilitation order, a curfew to stay indoors from 8pm-5am and to pay £95 in compensation – £50 of which will go to the sanctuary.

Since the shameless deed, vet Jeremy Pearson (pictured above) has stepped in to help.

He donated £125 – the sum believed to have been in the collection tin – feeling it was the least he could do to help the charity.

He said: “Claire and David Baumberg work very hard to maintain the sanctuary and keep it going, so I feel it is the least I can do to offer them help wherever I can. I do this through discounted treatment.

“The theft was not their fault, but it’s a large amount of money for a sanctuary to find.”

Mrs Baumberg, who has homed some 4,000 animals since she opened the base 23 years ago, has thanked Mr Pearson for his generous gesture.

She said: “Jeremy is very kind and we’ve been with him since he started at Animal House.”

She says funds collected in their charity tins help pay for vet bills, food and caring for the cats.

However, now they try to avoid using collection tins because so many are being stolen.

She added: “Since the incident, we’ve also had some anonymous donations and a couple of people have called at the door to give us money. We are very grateful.”

The sanctuary is currently home to 25 cats in need of new owners.

To make a donation, or for information on rehoming cats see kingsdowncatsanctuary.org