Pet owners learn lots more about their animal friends

The show continues today through 5 p.m. and will include a pet fashion show.

By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

NILES — Pet lovers — and their pets — filled the Eastwood Expo Center in search of the perfect pet products.

Though most visitors brought their canine friends to the Northeast Ohio Pet Expo, there were options for other pet lovers, as well.

Over 50 vendors offered food products, T-shirts, beach towels and other items. Many gave away samples or sponsored give-aways.

The show is intended to show “different things that people don’t ordinarily know about,” said Judi Henninger, coordinator of Saturday’s event.

This was the first time FFR Promotions of Niles held the event, but they plan to make it an annual show, Henninger said.

FFR holds annual boat and sportsmen shows at the center, she said.

“It’s in the heart of the shopping center and people come in and it always does very well,” Henninger said.

Megan Sutton of Kinsman brought her Pomeranian, Teddy, “to see all the different vendors and the different dogs and see if we can find him anything.”

She found a collar for the dog.

Sutton’s never attended a pet show before, but liked it.

“I’m enjoying it,” she said. “I love dogs, all kinds of dogs. I’m not a real cat person, but I’m a dog person.”

Visitors to the show learned about kennels, boarding options, pet funerals and cremation, vet services and other typical pet products.

But there were unexpected options, as well.

“In a way I kind of felt like a fish out of water,” said Elaina Lehman, a Bristollville Creative Memories independent consultant and vendor at the show, “but then someone mentioned that a photographer would be here and I thought that would be a great connection.”

A professional photographer was at the expo to take photos of visitor’s pets.

“People take pictures of pets just like they do with their children and other family members,” Lehman continued. “So it does make sense if you’re going to take photographs of them, why not preserve them also?”

She offered albums and other scrapbooking supplies at the show.

Others were there to create awareness.

American Red Cross of Trumbull and Mercer counties workers were on hand with their canine action team.

Oki, a German Shepherd, and Gus, a Goldenoodle — two of the three dogs on the team — greeted visitors.

“When we respond to a disaster, a house fire for example, we take the dogs with us and they calm the people down, make a big difference in the lives of the kids,” Kathy Miller said.

They take the dogs to the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna for deployments and reunions, Miller said. They also take part in pet first aid classes and help with disasters, such as house fires.

“And working as pet therapy dogs they make a huge difference in people that have gone through something horrible,” Miller added.

The expo continues today. A pet apparel fashion show will be held at 1 p.m. Visitors to the expo are welcome to participate.