Burglars hit SLO County thrift shop that helps rescue dogs: ‘Someone violated our space’
Burglars stole jewelry and “Wizard of Oz” figurines from an Atascadero thrift shop that supports a local rescue organization for senior and special needs dogs, a volunteer confirmed Thursday.
Linda Williams, who volunteers at Meade Canine Resale Shop, 4303 El Camino Real in Atascadero, said that the thieves hit sometime between Monday evening and early Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday morning, a volunteer noticed that vintage, costume and precious metals jewelry were missing along with collectible figurines, and the back door of the store was propped open, Williams said Thursday.
“We think they came in through a window that they broke and then they went out the back door,” Williams told The Tribune.
The stolen items were worth a few thousand dollars total, Williams said.
That means less money for Meade Canine Rescue and Sanctuary in Creston.
“Somebody violated our space and volunteers are shook up,” the rescue’s founder, Charlotte Meade, said Thursday. “We were kind of surprised.”
SLO County organization rescues senior, special needs dogs
Founded about 11 years ago, Meade Canine Rescue and Sanctuary focuses specifically on senior and special needs dogs that require expensive medical care, rehabilitating them and, in some cases, finding them new homes. The nonprofit organization also helps people who can’t afford to spay or neuter their pets access those services.
“I was stunned when I found out how many animals are in trouble in the state of California,” Meade said.
The rescue typically has about 70 dogs at a time, Meade said.
Every day, Meade looks at a list of animals that are abandoned at pounds and shelters or found as strays across California that her organization might be able to rescue.
Some of the dogs are healthy enough to be adopted while others live the rest of their days at the sprawling Creston shelter.
Meade said the organization currently has multiple litters of puppies that are looking for homes after being abandoned on roadsides in San Luis Obispo County.
Meade Canine Resale Shop, which opened about six years ago, helps keep the rescue financially afloat, she said.
“The thrift shop is a moneymaker for us because it helps pay vet bills,” Meade said. “It helps the community. It’s a fun little place.”
How to help
According to Meade, Meade Canine Resale Shop will install a new security system in place to prevent future break-ins.
“It’ll set us back,” Meade said. “We’ll still pay our vet bills, we’ll still be going to the vet, we’ll still help people spay and neuter. That’s not going to stop us. But we start from scratch now.”
Meade said the rescue is always looking for volunteers to help with the dogs or the resale shop.
The organization also accepts donations through its website, meadecaninerescue.net.
Meade Canine Resale Shop is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 805-239-4004.
This story was originally published January 20, 2023 at 8:00 AM.
