Staff at the RSPCA charity shop in Burnley are appealing for help to bring back their treasured wooden dog, Red, after thieves broke into their premises and stole the much-loved mascot, which has been with the shop for decades.

Charity shop staff were left devastated when they arrived to open for business today to discover thieves had broken into their premises and made off with their treasured collection dog.

‘Red’ has been with the RSPCA charity shop in St James Street in Burnley for decades and is much loved by staff and customers alike.

Standing at three feet high, Red is a brown and orange Irish setter type dog made of wood and fibre glass. He is perched on a blue plinth with the words RSPCA on it in white.

Staff are now appealing for help to bring Red home where he belongs in time for Christmas..

Shop manager Sam Bowles said: “This is our third burglary in four years and it is just heartbreaking. What has upset me the most is the fact Red has been taken.

“He has been here for that long the paint on him has worn away due to all the pats and cuddles he receives.

“Red represents everything the RSPCA stands for, about protecting animals from neglect, abuse and cruelty.

“I am asking if anyone has seen Red, or knows where he is, to please get in touch so we can get him back.”

Have you seen Red? The decades old collection dog was stolen during a burglary at the RSPCA charity shop in Burnley | s

placeholder image — Have you seen Red? The decades old collection dog was stolen during a burglary at the RSPCA charity shop in Burnley | s

The intruders also made off with an empty till drawer and two half empty collection boxes after smashing through the lower section of the shop door at around 2am. The shop has been forced to remain closed today while the clean up operation begins and police investigate the break in.

Earlier this year the local RSPCA animal shelter based in Altham was saved from closure for at least another year after a colossal fund raising effort saw the community donate more than £110,000.

Sam added: “The support we have received has been overwhelming as that money allows us to rehabilitate the animals that come into our care before they can be adopted.”

Sam has made a second impassioned appeal for any roller shutter companies to offer their services to help make the premises as secure as possible to prevent future burglaries.

She said: “We have CCTV, alarms and locks, everything that is required of retail premises but what we really need is roller shutters. We can’t afford to pay for them as a charity shop so we would be very grateful to any firms who may be kind enough to help us out.

“We can pay in cake, doggy cuddles and a tour of our centre at Altham to see the work we do and show how they will be supporting it.”