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50 vendors at the Pet Expo, now in its seventh year
Seventh annual show and sale is tribute to animal lovers
By Jordan Cohen
NILES
Scooter, a 5-year-old Yorkie, isn’t like most of the dogs accompanying their owners at the Eastwood Expo Center this weekend. That he is even able to walk at the Northeast Ohio Pet Expo Show and Sale is a tribute to the animal lovers who are taking care of him.
Scooter, barely 10 pounds, uses a specially designed wheelchair because he suffered a crushed back in an accident several years ago. The device, with two wheels in the back, enables the little dog to get around. Scooter seemed to enjoy being petted by passers-by.
“The company that built the wheelchair picked up most of the costs, but we provide the therapy,” said Darla Donahue of New Lease on Life Rescue, the shelter in Struthers that is taking care of Scooter. “He’s already showing signs of developing more muscles.”
Other shelters also have set up displays with the same goal: raising badly needed funds.
“We have eight puppies and 37 cats at our shelter up for adoption, and it costs money to take care of them,” said Veronica Caruso, a volunteer with Small World Cat and Dog Rescue in Girard.
The shelters are among more than 50 vendors at the Pet Expo, now in its seventh year. Among the displays are clothes, treats and medical supplies for dogs
and cats — and a petting zoo with goats, an alpaca, sheep and a pot-bellied pig. Parents with very young children and some adults without any couldn’t resist one-on-one contact with the animals.
Lillian Simmons, a 4-year old from Braceville, smiled broadly as she petted a goat that was receptive to all of the attention. “The goats are her favorite,” said her mother, Jessica Simmons.
Judi Henninger, show coordinator, said this year’s show has a number of unique items. One of the bigger attention-getting displays contains pillows and some very large throw rugs with stitched images of dogs and cats.
“All of our material is American-made,” said Anne Lewanski who, with her husband, Dan, purchases the items from U.S. suppliers. The couple travels to events such as the Pet Expo to sell their products.
“We started in tapestries, and we’ve been doing this for 25 years,” said her husband. “Our biggest demand is from dog owners.”
There was no shortage of those on the Expo Center floor. Jerry Hickman of Canfield and his wife, Sandy, walked Phoebe, their golden retriever, while Phillip Lary of Sharon, Pa., sat nearby with Bentley, his 78-pound goldendoodle. Neither dog seemed bothered by all the activity. Both owners described their pets as “very socialized.”
Henninger said she expects attendance to number “a couple of thousand” during the two-day event with many bringing their dogs. Why so many dogs?
“Well, you really don’t want to put a leash on a cat,” she said.
The highlight of today’s event is a fashion show at 1 p.m. where owners can bring their pets in costumes to compete for prizes.