With 70% of NSW and Queensland still feeling the effects of the drought, Trafalgar Tours are doing their bit to aid the farmers and their pups.
On Tuesday, Trafalgar took to Tamworth to transport over 1.3 tonnes of donated dog food to aid drought-stricken farmers and their working dogs as well as buying 14 palettes of cattle and animal feed from community suppliers, collectively totaling a value of $20,000.
Awareness surrounding the damage the drought has caused farmers is widespread, however not too many people are aware of the repercussions for families with several working dogs, in some cases: farmers are having to choose between feeding themselves or feeding their animals.
Trafalgar agents with a local farmer
This heartwrenching fact moved the CEO of Trafalgar Gavin Tollman profoundly, and he pledged a denotation of $10,000 personally to help farmers take care of their pets and working dogs as well as feed their livestock. All the cattle and sheep feed, nuts and mineral blocks were all purchased from local suppliers in Tamworth, to help sustain these local businesses as well.
One happy pup!
As transporting the supplies to the farmers was logistically tricky, having one of the brand new Trafalgar coaches that’s ready to take guests across Australia for its inaugural domestic trips in January 2019 was vital to get the 1.3 tonnes of dog food from Sydney to Tamworth, with the help of non-for-profit organisation Rescue Resource.
“We were thrilled to partner with Trafalgar to support their farmers appeal by collecting donated dog food for the working dogs of Tamworth.”
Jessica Jamison, Rescue Resource Operations Manager
“Transport of such a large and heavy donation has always been our biggest challenge to get it out to the regional areas and Trafalgar just took care of it!” she added.
Every man’s best friend
The Trafalgar team treated the farming families to a BBQ breakfast and spoke to these farmers to really understand the issues being faced and how this initiative help ease the financial burden for them over the Christmas period.
“This has been an incredibly humbling experience, to see first-hand the difference this will make to these families over the festive season was truly touching.”
Matthew Cameron Smith, Trafalgar Managing Director
“We were honoured to meet these extraordinary families who are doing it tough through this JoinTrafalgar initiative, ensuring we’re giving back and sustaining every place we go and supporting our rural and regional tourist economy,” he added.
“Our industry has a real role to play to assist these struggling communities.”
- READ: Trafalgar urges professionals to volunteer on Volunteer Day
- READ: Qantas flight touches down with 650kg of dog food
- READ: Helloworld Travel Agents helped raise $53,000 for Aussie farmers