I’m happy to once again be talking with you about my favorite store Tractor Supply and the upcoming PAW (Pet Appreciation Week) events. Pet Appreciation Week starts September 17th and runs thru September 21st. Each tractor Supply store will have their own special plans, but will include sales and activities. For the main event, our local Tractor Supply is holding a pet adoption. Check with your local store to find out what they have planned!
I love shopping at Tractor Supply! They have a friendly and relaxed atmosphere that makes shopping fun. If you thought Tractor Supply is all about a tractor supply store, it’s not! They also carry an extensive line of pet food and supplies including premium brand food, treats, flea & tick control, beds, wireless containment, crates, kennels, collars, leads, bowls, grooming supplies, toys and more. Tractor Supply truly is your one shop stop to help you care for your animals.
Above being a store that sells pet products, I love that they actually give back by helping animals in need! They are very active in the community with helping the animal shelters with adoption and vaccination events.
During the upcoming Pet Appreciation Week (Sept. 17 – 21), you can enter to win some awesome prizes such as a Tractor Supply Gift Card, vet service rebates and doggie goodie Be sure and register for your chance to win!
Tractor Supply has also challenged me to a project to help my local shelter during Pet Appreciation Week. For my project, I had a $25 budget to work with. With the great prices at Tractor Supply, I knew I would be able to do something awesome!
For those of you that know me, you know I volunteer at my local shelter. My part of the volunteering involves walking the dogs, giving them interaction, and basically anything they need me to do. There’s always a running list of needs and wishes for the animals, and the shelter in general. For my project, I wanted to do something that would have the biggest impact all the way around, yet stay within my budget. I gave a lot of thought to some craftier projects, then I thought about what my local shelter actually needed the most. In the end I went with what I knew my shelter needed the most. I wanted to do a pet gift basket. After all, the dogs there have so very little and anything that can make their time waiting for their forever home a little more enjoyable is well worth it!
My Gourmet Pet Gift Basket for Pet Appreciation Week
I have saw first hand how much the dogs love a treat after their walk. You may think it is a frivolous thing, but treats also play an important role at the shelter. Treats are used in basic training and teaching them manners, which in turn helps them become more adoptable. Folks just naturally gravitate towards the dogs that have some basic training and good manners.
There’s also a need for toys to help them work off steam and just have a little bit of enjoyment. While the shelter tries it’s best to foster any young puppies, if they are there you can see the need for some small toys for them. I purchased a couple of tennis balls and a rope toy from Tractor Supply, but then I decided to make a couple more rope toys. Rope toys are easy to make and can be made in minutes!
All you need is strips of an old t-shirt. Cut the t-shirt underneath the arms and then cut your strips from the bottom portion. For this rope toy, I used 3 strips.
Place a safety pin in one end to hold them in place while you start braiding the strips together. This step is easier if you have someone also hold the end so that you can pull it tight.
After it is braided tightly, knot the ends and you have it! Super simple! These rope toys are nice for the puppies and dogs that are not heavy chewers, but all dogs should still be supervised with them. We grabbed a few pig ears for the really heavy chewers. I’m sure they will love them!
Another item on my list was a stainless steel bowl. My local shelter has a shortage of stainless steel bowls for feeding and watering. It’s a simple item, but one I wanted to include. I also wanted to pick up a brush. The shelter is always in need of grooming supplies and the dogs love being pampered and brushed. They also like to be looking good for the adoption events!
There are so many little things that will make a huge impact for pets waiting on their forever home. I found everything I needed for a wonderful gift basket at Tractor Supply and came in right at my budget!
For the base of my gift basket, I used an old strawberry crate. It was just sitting around in the garden shed and not being used. It was perfect to hold all the offerings! I added the Good Dog words to the front, along with a little bone (using glue). Then, I went a little further and dressed the pet gift basket up with bows on a few of treats. While the dogs in the shelter could care less about frilly bows, I still wanted to make it look a little nicer. I just used simple colored string that I already had at home, along with some plastic wrap to keep the treats fresh.
Maggie had been hanging around watching as I put it all together. Honestly, I think she had been eyeballing the treats, but that’s another story! I believe she agrees it’s a nice pet gift basket for her friends!
The final decision rest with Miss Molly though and she gave me paws up and a big WOOF smile! She’s anxious to see her friends at the shelter and take them her present!
I’m sure the pet gift basket will bring smiles from all at the shelter, humans and dogs alike! While a few treats and toys doesn’t seem like much, I’m here to tell you these items will definitely impact the lives of all the dogs waiting on their forever homes. It could actually make a difference in if they are chosen for adoption or not! For very little money, and thanks to Tractor Supply, several dogs may find their forever home! That’s a pretty big deal!
Molly says that’s enough talk and picture taking. She is anxious and ready to deliver her gift basket! She just knows her pals are going to be excited over all the dog biscuits, training treats, toys, brush and new dinner bowl! Oh, and let’s not forget those pig ears that were only a $1 each!!!
If you’ve ever wanted to help your local shelter but thought you can’t afford it, give Tractor Supply a try! A bag of treats, a small toy, a bowl, hand soaps for the staff, Clorox wipes, paper towels, etc. are all items any shelter can use. For only a few dollars, you can make a big impact for a lot of pets with your own pet gift basket! Tractor Supply has all the supplies you need and at a price that won’t break the bank!
You can find Tractor Supply online and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+.
This post is sponsored by Tractor Supply Company and the Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Tractor Supply Company, but Miss Molly Says only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Tractor Supply Company is not responsible for the content of this article.
How neat of an article, I never thought of making dog ties from old t- shirts, but it is a neat idea and easy to braid and I bet we all have old t shirts – I have found a lot of different animal supplies at our neighborhood farm and garden supply store and they have decent prices and unique items, I like the supply store brush and bowl you got from Tractor Supply, I think the dogs at the shelter will be delighted.
A doggy gift basket is a great idea to give to a shelter! I know they will appreciate all the items you selected.
Hi there! I am stopping by from BlogPaws to say hello – always discovering great new blogs to follow. I love making gift baskets, this is a great idea.
These are so adorable, and I know my friends would enjoy receiving them for their fur babies. Thanks for the cute ideas!
I always look forward to Pet Appreciation week at Tractor Supply. We are frequent shoppers there because of their great prices and this promotion makes it even better. I love the DIY dog toy! I know what I am going to do this weekend!
such a great post and love how you made up basket enough to go around such a cute idea in making the cloth toy rope my puppy loves his cloth toy rope but we paid way more for it then usin your method but from now on im using your method and saving some money we love the tractor stores they are great especially when needing items for your pets they offer many choices…
What great gift baskets! And I love those rope toys. So simple to make and the doggies will love them.
My cousin just got a new dog. I will have to share this info with him.
we actually purchase our dog food at tsc! we love that store.
I LOVE going to Tractor Supply! They have so many pet supplies, and the kids love going in the spring and seeing the baby chicks and ducks! Great homemade toy idea!
Bless your heart for being so kind to animals!!! I love the idea of a braid and will make my dog (Molly) a small one. You have a place in heaven, that’s for sure:) What kind of material are used on the home made braiding material? I would not mind making some and donating them…..
I just used old t-shirts. For small puppies and dogs just playing they work wonderful! But, for a heavy chewer, the dog would need watched while playing with it.
I have to say your dogs are so beautiful, it has always been my dream to have a dog but for now living in an apartment its best with my beautiful cat Makita 🙂 and she and I donate to our local animal shelter and to our neighbors,
Having love for animals is definitely a virtue! I encourage you to keep creating wonderful things for them, I know they do appreciate your love.
Wonderful article. Donating gift baskets to the local shelter really makes a difference. My daughter chaired a Holiday Pet Stocking Drive last December at her school. Students, parents, teachers and faculty donated treats, toys and other items and the club bad holiday stocking which were then donated to our local shelter.
That is a great box of goodies! I bet that is a happy dog!
These are great gift baskets and I know they are appreciated. Donating to shelters is was always an awesome thing to do. So is having your animals fixed. If more people did it, there would less animals in shelters and less needs for things like this. Sorry, but I love animals and I’m a big advocate where I live.
Awesome Gift Basket! You really put your heart into making it. God Bless You and all the Animal Care and rescue Groups. my oldest daughter works with a rescue group.She devotes a lot of her time to helping these wonderful fur babies“
I like the rope toy you made, and I think its a great idea to make gift baskets for these poor fellows and gals who are homeless temporarily.
this is so cool
I think it’s great when a company, like Tractor Supply, sponsors events like this. When companies sponsor events like Pet Appreciation Days it brings this important cause to the attention of many people. Thank you for highlighting the event in your blog.
what a great cause ….god bless you
that is neat idea when i go to pet co they ahve teh humane soicety there do the same thing and then i usually get the chewy and bone for the dog and my dog has won acouple of time
The pull/chew toy would also be great for cats too…or at least my niece’s cat lol…she loves to play with things like this.
Awww love this! And the t-shirt toy idea ROCKS, thanks for the inspawration. P.S. Maggie just melts our hearts!
I love this idea! So neat! This is so generous and sweet, I love all animal-related charitable activities.
You are brilliant! You really know how to buy what every dog would love to own. You are an example to us in your kindness for dogs in need. Thank you for the tutorial on how to make rope toys. I’m planning now to make some for some dogs in need.
Awwww it tickles my heart all they are doing to help animals. I love the pet rescue adoptions events. Even though my husband and I already have 2 pets, which is our maximum allowed at our apt.. we like to attend such events to stop and share some attention and lovies, petting and kisses with as many of the rescue animals as possible. We go to animal shelters to do that whenever we get a chance and bring donations with us too. I really appreciate places like the Tractor Supply and others who really make a positive difference in the world to precious, priceless animals.
Again I cannot say enough about all the wonderful people that devote their time to rescuing and caring for all the lost fur babies..
I think Pet Appreciation Week is wonderful. For us, with our cat and cockatiel and 3 granddoggies that we beyond love and love to spoil, it’s pet appreciation day everyday and it’s wonderful when companies, stores, brands, and/or bloggers join in that appreciation for EVERYONE’s pets with a pet appreciation week including sales, giveaways, adoptions and more. YAY!
It’s a very nice idea…thanks for share…
This is great for my friends who have furbabies!
I think it is just Awesome that so many people want to help these poor lost fur Babies…God Bless you all in your wonderful work!
What a great gift basket! I love that you used the same colors for the braided fleece tug toys as I did the first time I made them. I am very involved in animal rescue and donate what I can to local rescues and shelters.
wow what a great post, i love the rope toy idea, i never even thought and you know i have like five of those rope toys i bought and spent a ton on them, lol. im going to do that make a ton of them and give them to the shelter. and some extra blankets and sheets and stuff, i never thought to donate those types of things, thanks again for the great post
I love the idea of recycling old t-shirts to make dog toys. This would be perfect for a teething puppy!
I contribute blankets and old toys to the local animal shelter. They appreciate everything they get.
I shop after the holidays when there is a mark down of 75% or more and pick up pet supplies and give to the shelter to put in baskets they make up to raise money when they do their yearly events. Love the one you made
I am 100% for any project or Idea to Support all the Fur Babies in need!!God bless all these wonderful People..Fur Babies share all their Love to You..Someday I will Figure out something to do to help support them too!! I have 2 adopted Dogs and I love Them with All My Heart~~
I’m going to donate some cat food and older towels to the animal shelter in the city I live in. Great post 🙂
It was very nice of you to donate a pet gift basket to the animal shelter. Miss Molly is adorable as always. =)
I have to say…I’m not a dog (I’m a cat) but I have a ‘cousin’ named Molly Dog so I had to come see your ideas. I think any dog would like that gift basket, it’s got loads of good stuff in it! I give you two paws up!
What great ideas. We have two dogs in the house both under two years and toys along have been adding up in money, so to e able to help others with a new dog, well that’s just wonderful.
Super cute and really neat. Love the idea!
This is so cool! I love to go to my local humane society and help when I can, there are so many animals in need.