The search is on for a nine-foot, 70-pound red-tailed boa constrictor that was stolen from a pet store in Corner Brook overnight Thursday.

Alan Garrard, the owner of Wild World, was shaken at the loss of his snake, Venus.

"We're very upset, that's my pet," he told CBC News Friday.

Garrard was travelling back to Newfoundland from Ontario when he got a call from store manager, Jenette Blanchard.

"She gave me an panicked call early this morning whilst I was driving. She said the snake had been snake-napped from the shop," Garrard said.

This is the cage Venus the 70-pound boa constrictor was stolen from, in a soon-to-open pet shop in Corner Brook. (Lindsay Bird/CBC)

'Heartbreaking' theft

Blanchard told CBC she walked into a chaotic scene when she arrived at the store around 8 a.m.

"My birds were going crazy, the parrots were making so much noise. Mr. Perkins, my peacock, was out of his mind," she said.

When she looked around the corner, Venus' cage was wide open, the snake gone, leaving her at a loss for words.

"Heartbreaking," said Blanchard, holding back tears. "It's the same as taking a child from me, so I want my baby back."

Venus the boa constrictor was taken during a break-in at Wild World, left in the basement of the store in a duffle bag. (Wild World/Facebook)

Blanchard said Venus had been off her food for the last few days, and is now probably stressed.

"She's hungry and scared. Like any animal, she's unpredictable. Just don't approach her," she cautioned, asking people to call the store if they spot the snake.

"The safest thing to do for everyone right now is bring her back."

Burglars broke door, ransacked store

Garrard said a considerable amount of damage was done to his store which was set to open in June at 71 Humber Road.

"They actually broke in the front door, kicked in the lower bit of the glass, then I guess twisted the unlock mechanism on the inside of the door, ransacked the place, put all the papers everywhere and took any cash that was inside the premises," said Garrard.

The lower part of Wild World's front door was smashed when manager Jeanette Blanchard arrived Friday morning. (CBC)

A Facebook post from the pet store said hundreds of dollars in donations for "animal causes" were stolen. "Feeders," mice and rats used to feed snakes, were also taken.

"They knew what they were doing," said Blanchard, adding that other valuable animals, like the macaws or peacocks, were left untouched.

"We do have our suspicions on who could've possibly done this," she said.

"We have a lot of snake activists that feel that our proper enclosures probably weren't good enough."

Blanchard said Venus usually was given free rein to roam the shop, and was only kept enclosed because Garrard was out of town.

Garrard said his snake was uncommon but gentle.

"It's a rarity, you can't go to a pet shop and buy a 70 pound, nine-and-a-half foot [snake], and she was very friendly, good with kids, anybody," he said.

"I hope whoever has done such a thing, if they could just return the snake, please."

Police on the search

Garrard said police officers brought in the K-9 unit and obtained some security footage from a convenience store across the road, but it was tough to make out anything from the footage.

"The RNC does not believe that this animal has been released into the wild, but at this stage of the investigation this cannot be confirmed," the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said in a news release Friday.

As a precaution, the police are asking the public to not approach the snake if they encounter it, and to call the RNC immediately.

Police said this type of snake will seek shelter in a warm location.