Helping pets survive the drought is the aim of “Dog-food Drop”

Helping farming families look after their dogs, cats, chickens, and pets is the aim of the “Dog-Food Drop” launched for its second year in Orange yesterday. Giving the thumbs-up to the initiative are, (sitting) Jasmine Smart, Tyler Jackson, “Tommy” from “Hay Run Tommy’s Truck”, Larlee Ramsay, and Amber Jackson, (standing) Orange Real Estate Property Manager, Chris Baskerville, and Business Development Manager, Rachelle Perkins

With plenty of fund-raising events over the 18-month drought for hard-hit farmers and their families, what about the farm animals also suffering?

Helping farming families look after their dogs, cats, chickens, and other pets is the aim of the “Dog-Food Drop” launched in Orange for its second successful year.

Community-spirited local organisations are supporting this unique pet-food service with organiser Larlee Ramsay aiming to collect tonnes of dried dog-food and more for hungry farm animals.

“Last year we raised 2500kg of dried dogfood, this year I’m aiming at 3000kg,” Larlee said at the event’s launch at Orange Real Estate.

“Shoppers and others wishing to donate the food can bring it here,” Larlee said of the realtor on the corner of Sale and Summer Streets, one of the main supporters of Larlee’s push.

Other supporters of the special event include Canobolas Auto One, Furneys Stock Feeds, and “Tommy” from the “Hay Run Tommy’s Truck” who delivers stock feed and other goods to desperate farmers.

“Tommy goes everywhere supplying the farmers with feed as well as dogfood, and food hampers just to keep the families going,” Larlee explained.

She has set herself a timetable of four–six weeks to raise the three tonnes of dog-food. “We’re also prepared to take cat food, chicken scratch, lick blocks for cattle, and even worming tablets,” Larlee pleaded.

Local animal welfare group, the Central West Animal Rescue Service will also be recipient of the pet-food donated by generous locals. The support though is two-way with the Service also donating excess food and other items surplus to their own needs to the “Dog-Food Drop”.

“I run the Central West Animal Rescue Service and we help each other out; it’s a joint-team thing,” Jasmine Smart from the Service said.

Shoppers are urged to buy an extra pet-food item and drop it down to Orange Real Estate on the corner of Sale and Summer Street or Canobolas Auto One at 101 Peisley St to do their bit to help-out our hard-pressed farmers.

Those wishing to support this event can also drop-off pet food to Furneys Stock Feeds at 245 McLachlan Street. They can also buy a large bag of dog-food from Furneys either in-person or by calling 6362 2896.   

“The farmers are really asking for help, and this is a great way we can support them,” Larlee said. “If we can feed their dogs, it’s one less thing they have to buy. It gives them more money to feed themselves,” Larlee concluded.