Puppy stolen from RSPCA found through Facebook!

Heather the puppy was stolen by two women and sold to the man in the poster.

Quote from the RSPCA: ”After receiving information from a friend on here 3 RSPCA staff went with the police and we finally got our puppy Heather back. Thank you so very much to everyone who has helped us today we sincerely appreciate everything you have done to help bring Heather back to us. I very big Thank you to the lady who helped us tonight, you know who you are and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. A massive thank you to Oldham Police once again you helped us, you do a fabulous job and we appreciate it. PC Singh is our hero to tonight and his colleague Dave. Finally Mrs T would like to thank her staff, you never fail to show your loyalty and dedication and you are a credit to all the animals we help. I am honoured to work with such a great team xx p.s. Heather if fine and back to her cheeky self and one female has been charged tonight and will appear in Court in August.”

Update 21st August 2012.

Oldham woman stole puppy from animal sanctuary to swap it for booze

Jessica Beckett

August 20, 2012

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SAFE: Heather the dog is reunited with RSPCA branch manager Mandy Tierney, left, and colleagues. The puppy had been stolen by Lisa Gilmour who swapped for a bottle of sherry

A woman stole a puppy from an animal sanctuary and swapped it for a bottle of sherry.

Lisa Gilmour, 45, of Union Street, Oldham ,snatched the 16-week old dog from the town’s RSPCA branch as it exercised in a yard.

She was arrested a short time later after staff played back CCTV and gave a description to police.

Paul Cope, prosecuting at Oldham magistrates court, said: “She admitted taking the puppy.

“She said she had given it to a friend in exchange for a bottle of sherry.”

The Staffordshire bull terrier called Heather was returned to the RSPCA around ten hours later.

Tim Hughes, defending, said: “She saw a group of puppies in a pen and reached over to take one. It wasn’t a dog stolen to order, it was a drunken escapade.

“She has a thread of convictions on her record and she is being supported for heroin and alcohol problems.”

Gilmour, whose last conviction was in 2003, was given a 12-month conditional discharge for stealing the dog on July 24.

Speaking after the case, Mandy Tierney, manager of the shelter on Rhodes Bank, said that Gilmour had been watching the yard until a member of staff left the puppies for a split second.

She said: “Our doors had a 60-second time delay on them which allowed the defendant to access the exercise yard.

“We have improved security following the incident and want to thank the police and members of the public who helped us track down Heather after she had been passed on.

“We mounted a huge Facebook campaign and Heather’s image was shared by more than 10,000 people.

“Our main concern was getting her back safe and sound.

“She has now been adopted and I am pleased the person who stole her has been prosecuted.”