Petco thanks all who responded on March 4

Petco has always been a community pet store, and we have never felt more a part of the community than we do now, after so many emergency personnel, associates from our surrounding stores and our animal welfare partners pulled together to help save people and animals trapped in our Eatontown store following the March 4 explosion.

The heroic efforts of so many demonstrated what a great community this really is, and as the general manager of the Eatontown store, I am especially proud of the way everyone pulled together on what could have otherwise been a much more tragic day.

We would like to thank the Eatontown Police and Fire departments, the New Jersey State Police, Tinton Falls, Ocean Township, West Long Branch, Asbury Park, and Long Branch Police, Monmouth University Police, Monmouth County Police Radio, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management, Long Branch Office of Emergency Management, the Red Cross, The Salvation Army, New Jersey State Department of Animal Care, Associated Humane Society and New Jersey Task Force One for their incredible support.

We also want to thank the surrounding fire departments and EMS crews in the following communities who also came to our aid: Neptune, Fort Monmouth, Middletown, Long Branch, Oceanport, West Long Branch, Red Bank, Little Silver, Oakhurst, Shrewsbury and Tinton Falls.

And we can’t forget our partners in animal care, the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and all of their volunteers who assisted in removing animals, the Tinton Falls Humane Society and Popcorn Park Zoo for their assistance, as well as the many organizations that called our National Support Center in San Diego to offer any help they could. Our gratitude also to the surrounding retail stores, especially Home Depot, Lowe’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Chick-Fil-A and Pathmark for their aid.

Our thoughts now are with our fellow associates, those recovering from their injuries and others displaced by the disappearance of this store.

The Petco family rallied to the aid of Eatontown, and that support will continue as we seek a new location to serve this great community.

And we can’t forget our customers and the many well-wishers who have shown such an outpouring of support, bringing tears to our eyes with their many stories about what this store meant to them and their animal companions.

It has been very heart-warming, and has brought smiles to many faces sorely in need.

Thank you all so much.

Peter Knights

manager

Petco

Eatontown