Sun staff
Louiso Feed & Seed, LLC in conjunction with Nutrena Animal Feeds, has donated more than a short ton of horse food to a local horse rescue organization.
“This donation will feed the 11 horses and ponies that are in our care for a month and a half,” said Suzan Edwards, co-founder of Helping Horses and Heroes.
The nonprofit organization, headquartered in Milford, rehabilitates, retrains and re-homes horses, including former race horses.
Helping Horses and Heroes also offers educational programs for new horse owners, temporary horse boarding services and day camps for children of slain officers.
Malia Jones, horse enthusiast and marketing coordinator for the feed store, located at 1223 Old State Route 74 in Batavia, synchronized the donation.
“We received an email last week from Nutrena that they had an overrun of stock on certain feeds,” she said. “They asked the dealers if we had contacts with horse rescues who would want the feed, and I began looking at area organizations.”
She added, “We had to move pretty quickly because it was on a first come, first served basis.”
Edwards said she was happy to get Jones’s message.
“She reached out to us through Facebook about the donation,” Edwards explained. “It was amazing that they contacted us.”
Nutrena donated one ton of feed, and Rob Louiso, owner of the feed store, kicked in another 500 pounds.
The total donation is valued at $700, according to Jones.
“The store is a huge community supporter,” she said. “If there is a need, they’re always stepping up.”
The store, which Louiso opened four years ago, specializes in pet food, birdseed and feed for an array of farm animals, including cattle, hogs, goats and chickens.
The store also stocks flowers, vegetable plants, seeds, raised bed garden kits and other farm and home garden essentials.
“I’m a big pet lover,” Louiso said. “If I can help out in any way, we try to do that.”
He added, “And, I think it’s great that we were able to coordinate this donation because it helps keep those horses from going to slaughter.”