A Pet in Need is a Friend Indeed

Animals are taking over the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena in Ashwaubenon this weekend.

In nine years, the WBAY Pet Expo has become one of the most popular trade shows in Northeast Wisconsin, and organizers expect another well-attended event this year.

The show opened its doors Friday afternoon, and organizers promise plenty to see.

There will be an array of animals at the pet expo, not just your household pets like dogs and cats but also animals you’d expect to find out on the farm or in a zoo.

The people involved in the pet expo say this is an event that provides a little something for everyone.

“The largest pet event north of the Milwaukee, Chicago markets, and it’s something for everyone — from pet lovers, animal lovers, shopping, interaction, education, live entertainment, specialty items that you can’t find in any local retail market. So if you love pets, this is the place to be,” WBAY trade show director Vickie Frank said.

“If you have a question about nutrition or about a fencing system or what to feed your dog, it’s a great place to go where you have all the experts under one roof,” Nita Woulf, owner of Clever K9s, said.

Clever K9s will put on performances by dogs trained here in Northeast Wisconsin.

More than half the dogs performing at the expo were without a home at one point and were adopted. Pet experts say many rescue dogs are brought to Wisconsin from other states for a second chance.

This year, a major focus of the event is getting help for dogs in need.

“They’ll bring in a lot of those dogs. They fly them in, they truck them in, they go down and pick them up and try to give them that second chance,” Woulf said.

In some states, dogs that fail to find a home are put down.

In Wisconsin, shelters, trainers, and rescuers are working together to make sure dogs find a home.

This weekend they aim to share their vision with visitors.

“To be able to know what’s going on and what things they can bring to the table and how we can all work together not only this weekend but in the future,” Katie Nechodom of Unforgettable Underdogs said.

Dog rescues represented here tell me the key to finding a good home for the dogs that are in need is education. They hope to use this weekend to help people learn more about the pet adoption process and what they need to know before they bring one home.