PET lovers in South Lakeland are being urged to help the Manchester Dogs’ Home after a blaze killed dozens of animals and tore through part of a building.

Animal Rescue Cumbria has put out an appeal for food, beds, toys and bowls, which it plans to load into a van and take down to the charity next week for the dogs that managed to survive the inferno.

“We heard about what happened and thought, ‘Okay, what can we do?’,” said Hayley Stalker, manager at the Grayrigg animal shelter. “It is so awful, what happened.

MORE TOP STORIES: “People have been very generous already but we’d love to be able to take plenty down to help the dogs’ home out.”

So far local people have donated 25 large bags of food, while Animal Rescue Cumbria has donated some of its own spare bowls, toys and beds.

Several people have dropped items off at the shelter, while others have paid for food over the phone at Skan Petcare, which will store all bags until the van sets off next week.

“Skan supplies our food at the minute,” explained Ms Stalker.

“So I rang them and asked if they would help us – and they were more than happy to. I think the events in Manchester have really got to people.”

The blaze broke out at the site in the north of the city last Thursday evening.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said around 50 dogs died, while 150 were rescued – many suffering the after-effects of the fire, such as smoke inhalation.

Animal Rescue Cumbria has been kept up-to-date with the goings-on at the site by its former employee, Emma Atkinson, who now works at the Manchester home.

“We’ve been messaging her and she’s really pleased we’re taking things down,” continued Ms Stalker.

“She’s more of a behaviourist so she’d been working with some of the dogs that died.

“They’re all just trying to get their heads around it. The dogs that survived are their priority now.”

The van run will be done early next week, so anyone who wishes to donate is urged to do so over the weekend.

Items can be dropped off at Animal Rescue Cumbria, at Kapellan in Grayrigg, while items can be donated and paid for over the phone at Kendal’s Skan Petcare, on 01539 739783.