Petstock Bunbury selects local organisation HorsePower for Home Town Heroes initiative

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, South West pet owners are being encouraged to consider not just people in need, but our furry friends too.

Throughout June, the Petstock Foundation will host its national Home Town Heroes initiative to raise awareness and financial support for more than 40 grassroots partner organisations Australia-wide.

Here in the South West, Petstock Bunbury will be helping raise funds for local grassroots organisation HorsePower.

The not-for-profit group uses horses to provide physical, cognitive, emotional and social support for people with diverse abilities.

Having noticed a decline in financial donations as people continued to tighten their spending, HorsePower Australia chair, coach and safety committee Carol Brice said the organisation wouldn’t be possible without acts of community kindness.

“The money Petstock and our community will raise for us will assist in horse welfare to provide their feed, vet and farrier costs,” she said.

“Our horses benefit our clients in so many ways, physically and emotionally, so I can’t emphasise the extent of our gratitude enough.”

This year, the initiative aims to raise $100 000 to help grassroots organisations nationwide continue to provide vital education, shelter, veterinary care, and community support.

With each store able to select a charity to donate to, Petstock Bunbury store manager Amy Dardridge said Petstock was a popular destination for “horse girls” so HorsePower felt like the obvious decision.

“We wanted to get on board with something we, as a team, are personally passionate about,” she said.

“When selecting our ‘hero’ we took a team vote, and it was a unanimous decision to go with HorsePower.”

While the campaign will be running throughout the month, the Petstock Foundation will run a “power weekend” over June 10 and 11, during which all donations will be tripled to maximise the impact of contributions received.

Customers can donate by “rounding up” their purchases in store or making financial donations to the cause.