Small and Exotic Animal Fun Show preps kids for bigger events

June 11, 2016 at 4:40p.m.

CANFIELD

Showing an animal at the Canfield Fair can be intimidating to children.

So the Mahoning County Small and Exotic Animal committee came up with the idea for a fun show. The committee oversees llamas, dogs, poultry, rabbits, pocket pets and goats at the fair.

“We had kids coming to the fair and it was their first time showing their animal,” said John James, show director. “They are doing it in the coliseum in front of a ton of people, it’s really hot and they just weren’t having a fun experience. We want this to be fun.”

The Mahoning County Small and Exotic Animal Fun Show helps with that.

The show is more relaxed, James said, without as much pressure as the fair show.

It lets the kids “get their first show under their belt,” he said. “It’s worked out really well for them.”

Saturday was the fifth annual show. It’s been expanded it to include children from Ashtabula, Columbiana and Trumbull counties, as well as Mahoning.