Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/669520
Brandon's Keystone Centre will be wall-to-wall with creature comforts next month, during a newly unleashed event catering specifically to domestic pet owners. R unning May 7 and 8, the first-ever Brandon Pet Expo will provide patrons with helpful exhibits and entertainment, including daily breed parades and agility demos, obedience and training seminars, and a trade show featuring pet-friendly items from customized ramps to all-natural puppy chow. Though the Keystone Centre is better known for playing host to broncos and bovines (it's the home of both the Wheat City Stampede and the annual Horse3 expo), the new event marks the first time organizers have put the focus on household pets. "We do horse expos all the time, so why wouldn't we do a pet expo?" says Dave Mein, agricultural sales and events manager for the Keystone Centre. "We're hoping it'll be a learning experience for people who've never had a pet. But it will also be a place for people who do have pets to come and learn more about them, and how to take care of them." Mein was inspired to launch a pet expo in Brandon after noting the popularity of similar events in other markets, among them the Winnipeg Pet Show (held for the first time last fall at the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg) and the Manitoba Pet Expo, which runs each year in St. Norbert. He aligned with a trio of Brandon-area non-profits — Funds for Furry Friends, the Wheat City Kennel Club, and the Crocus Obedience Kennel Club — and put out a call for exhibitors, with plans for a portion of the event's proceeds to be shared by the three groups. Dana Grove, president and coordinator of Funds for Furry Friends (a foster-based rescue network spanning much of southwestern Manitoba), says the Brandon region is long overdue for a pet expo. As Grove points out, close to 60% of Canadian households are home to dogs or cats — a rate that often runs higher in rural areas, where residents have more space for animals. In addition to the all-round companionship pets provide, there are also a growing number of health-related benefits to be gained, she says. "Studies have proven that animals lower the blood pressure [of their owners], so people are less likely to have heart attacks or become stressed out when they have pets," says Grove. "These days, there's a big movement towards therapy animals. They've got dogs for people with PTSD, and dogs for people with disabilities — they have emotional support animals for elderly people who've lost a spouse and are living alone and want company. There are even reading programs for children where they bring dogs into schools and kids can read to them without any judgment." To help ensure owners are taking the best possible care of their pets — and to help prospective new owners make the best possible match — the Expo has invited veterinarians and specialists to appear throughout the weekend, and has scheduled sessions on dealing with fear in dogs, picking the perfect puppy, and learning to better communicate with animals. For those thinking of adopting a new four-legged friend, Grove has plenty to say about the relatively low level of maintenance required by rescue animals. "A lot of people think if you get a rescue, you're getting someone else's problems — or that all the dogs in rescue are damaged or abused — but it's a myth," she says. "Often you're getting a dog that's a really well-trained dog, especially if it's an adult. Training puppies is hard; it's not always for everyone. In fact, it's not for most people!" For those looking to spoil their pets even further, there will be a plenty of products and services to peruse, from customized clothing and treats to animal-friendly lawn care options and "invisible fence" collar technologies. And of course, a menagerie of furry attention-stealers will most certainly be present — strutting their stuff in breed parades and herding demos, and hitting new heights in the flyball, freestyle and disc dog showcases. (That said, pets that aren't directly involved in the show are politely asked to remain at home. As Mein points out, an event space filled with off-leash or unsupervised critters could lead to a furry fiasco.) This year's Expo runs from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on May 7, and 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on May 8. Admission is $10 a day for adults, $6 a day for youth, and free for kids 10 and under. 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Help is just a phone call away. 204 925-0600 1 (800) 805-8885 www.adam.mb.ca To help ensure owners are taking the best possible care of their pets — and to help prospective new owners make the best possible match — the Expo has invited veterinarians and specialists to appear throughout the weekend, and has scheduled sessions on dealing with fear in dogs, picking the perfect puppy, and learning to better communicate with animals. CREATURES GREAT & SMALL KEYSTONE CENTRE UNLEASHES BRANDON PET EXPO