Tractor Supply Company Supports the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter #TractorSupply
TweetThis post is sponsored by Tractor Supply Company and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Tractor Supply Company but Life with Dogs and Cats only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Tractor Supply Company is not responsible for the content of this article.
Tractor Supply Company is not just for farmers
I think the first I heard about Tractor Supply Company® was from another blogger who raved about the store as a great place for pet parents.
Pets need tractors? Or tractor supplies? I envisioned one of my dogs sitting pretty in the seat of a John Deere. I don’t think so.
When I found out that a TSC store was opening only fifteen minutes away, I was intrigued enough to stop by — and I was quite impressed. They had a huge pet supply section. Plus a very large selection of bird feeders and seed (we have over a dozen feeders, so this is a Very Big Deal.) And, as expected, there are supplies for more farm-related needs, like work gloves, bunny hutches, horse stuff, and things I have no idea what they’re for. (My farmer grandparents would not be impressed that I was so ignorant.)
Tractor Supply Company stores are located in communities that are just on the edge of suburban and rural — which is exactly where I live. They’re kind of like a cross between a Home Depot (only smaller and friendlier), an Agway (although with a lot more products), a pet store (with a more rural-based product line and clientele) a garden center (with the tools you need to keep your green thumb — and your yard — green) and a sporting goods store (offering cold-weather clothes without the judgement that you should be working out right now!)
A Chance to Help Somerset Regional Animal Shelter
So when TSC asked me if I’d visit a store to purchase items with the express purpose of giving them to a local animal shelter, I was thrilled. I’ve worked with (and donated to) the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter before, and I’m a big fan of their work. Best part? Tractor Supply gave me a $100 gift card to spend on behalf of the shelter.
I reached out to the folks at Somerset Regional, and their companion volunteer organization Friends of Somerset Regional Animal Shelter, or FOSRAS, and asked them what they needed that I could get from Tractor Supply Company.
Turns out, the shelter had an adoption event planned at the nearby Tractor Supply Company store. “We love Tractor Supply and have already done two adoption events with them,” said Nancy Gedbow, shelter manager.
That’s how I found myself at our local Tractor Supply store with a $100 gift card and the desire to help on a recent Sunday morning.
Adoption Day at TSC
First I introduced myself to the staff member Vicki Kuntz and volunteer Dorothy Lynn, who were helping out at the adoption event, and they introduced me to the sweet kitties who were looking for forever homes.
Dorothy told me that the shelter had recently “run out of cats” — which is a wonderful thing indeed. When that happens, Somerset Regional Animal Shelter reaches out to other New Jersey shelters and takes some of their animals, with the hope that new circumstances might help them get adopted sooner.
Recently, another shelter had run into a hoarding situation and couldn’t rescue the hoarded cats unless they had room: SRAS took 21 cats, which enabled the shelter to rescue the hoarded cats.
I had to drag myself away from the cats and actually spend the gift card, so, armed with a list of “most-wanted” items for the shelter, I went shopping.
Time to shop
My cart was filled, and it was time to ring it up, and hand over the goodies to Vicki and Dorothy. I was able to buy the food they use at the shelter — what the staff and animals are used to — and while it might not seem exciting, it does make a difference. Every bag of dog or cat food they don’t have to buy means they can put shelter funds toward medicines or veterinary care.
I also bought some toys for both dogs and cats; giving them some kind of enrichment can reduce the stress of being in the shelter. I had carefully added up the total so I would come in just under the $100 gift card, hoping to allow for sales tax. I had a little more left, and I asked Vicki and Dorothy what else would really help the shelter. Dorothy showed me a huge bag of bird seed whose price was greatly reduced; the shelter has a couple of feeders set outside the cat room windows, and the kitties love to watch birds. Purr-fect!
In the end, I wound up spending more than the card, but Dorothy wouldn’t let me chip in the rest.
And what you don’t see is that I didn’t go home empty handed either: I bought suet for my bird feeders and Dog for Dog treats.
How you can help Somerset Regional Animal Shelter
Somerset Regional Animal Shelter is a municipal organization providing animal control services to several towns in central New Jersey. They care for about 1000 lost, abandoned and surrendered animals each year. Because it is funded by municipalities, the shelter is not considered a nonprofit.
However, the organization Friends of Somerset Regional Animal Shelter (FOSRAS) is; these folks do everything they can to support the shelter and the animals they serve.
To help the animals of Somerset Regional, you can
- Adopt! I can’t guarantee the animals in this post are still there, but the shelter is full of cats and dogs that need homes.
- Buy items on the shelter’s wish list through Amazon.com.
- Donate money to FOSRAS. The money goes to buy medical supplies and prescriptions, pay for veterinary care, and to purchase items that wouldn’t normally be donated.
- Show your support by attending a FOSRAS event.
- Volunteer to help socialize the dogs and cats of the shelter.
- Follow the shelter on Facebook, and share their posts.
Don’t have a Tractor Supply Company store near you?
That’s okay; find them online.
- Visit their website. Get free shipping through December 17, with no minimum purchase.
- While you’re there, check out their 4Health Brand pet food and treats.
- Follow TSC on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Look for their yearly social media contest that awards $25,000 in grants, split among ten deserving organizations.
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love companies like this that give back!! yay to the shelter for a great donation…..
I totally love this stores! it’s on my bucket list when I visit the US once, I will not visit a shoe store or tiffany’s I will visit a TSC :o)
Tractor Supply is my new favorite go-to store for dog treats, Dog for DOg butter and flannel shirts! LOL! They have so many cool things in their stores that I find myself just wandering around looking.
I just can’t say enough about how impressed I was with Tractor Supply Co. Their passion for helping rescue animals is amazing – they have a fan for life!
That sounds like a pawsome store ! Purrs
We have a TSC near us and the mom has yet to go to it. She needs to! Paws up to TSC for helping the shelter.
Oh Meow y’all have a pawsum TS. Glad you found out ’bout it. Gweat posty.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi