The Great Iowa Pet Expo - A Review

This past weekend was the Great Iowa Pet Expo.  This is an event held annually to promote the health and well being of our companion animals.  The goal is to educate the public on the importance of spaying and neutering your pets and to provide regular veterinary care.  It also is a place to see all the new pet innovations, products, and services out there.  I arrived at 10am and stayed till 2pm and could have gone back to see more. 

 

The very first thing we smelled, err, I mean saw when we walked in were the Alpaca’s.  North River Alpacas were there with several of their herd.  They are located in Norwalk, IA and have a herd of about 33 Alpaca’s.  They raise Alpaca’s for their fleece or fiber which is spun into ‘wool’ and made into various products.  Their fiber is lighter and warmer than wool from sheep. 

Alpaca’s originally come from Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Chile in South America.  They are smaller than Llamas and are not ‘beasts of burden’ like Llama’s are.  They were bred specifically for their fiber.  Here is what they look like before and after shearing.

 

There is so much information I learned about them so I have included a link to their Wikipedia site.  Alpacas do not make good ‘pets’.  They don’t like to be touched unless there is food involved.  They are independent like cats and most prefer to be left alone with their heard mates. 

The next thing I saw was a young lady named Emily Freel giving a lecture on the joys of Skunks as Pets.  Meet Lily.

 

Lily was a lovely bashful little creature and her fur was extremely soft.  She smelled good too.  J  Pet skunks usually have their scent glands removed when they are about 4 weeks old…although not everyone agrees with this practice and it is illegal in the UK.  Believe it or not, there are folks out there who Love skunk odor.
 

Emily gave a wonderful talk about skunks as pets and answered several audience questions.  If you are interested in having a skunk as a pet here are some websites for you to look at:

www.skunkhaven.net

www.stripedbandits.com
www.petskunks.co.uk

And of course there were the most typical pets featured.  Dogs galore, cats, birds, and reptiles.  The two major rescues, Animal Rescue League, and Animal Lifeline were well represented.  There were also many other breed specific rescues represented.

 

·        Des Moines Dachshund Playgroup

·        Great Plains Pointer Rescue

·        Heartland Greyhound Adoption

·        Iowa Weimaraner Rescue

·        IA/NE Italian Greyhound Rescue

·        MidAmerican Boston Terrier Rescue

·        MidAmerican Rottweiler Rescue

·        Northern Plains Boxer Rescue

·        Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota

·        Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue

Other animal rescues included were:

·        Iowa Friends of Companion Animals

·        Mid America Cage Bird Society

·        St. Francis Foundation for Pets

·        Heinz57 Rescue & Transport Services

And of course there was every product imaginable under the sun for you and your pets.  I got myself a new hat - Pink Camo, Leopard Print, and Rhinestone Paw prints.  What more could a girl ask for.  J  I got this from Witchwynds Designs.  They have all kinds of pet lovers apparel.

 

You can also dress your pet to the nines with Precious Petwear.  Handmade and embroidered items for your pets.  Interested, contact Joyce at jaappelgate@aol.com

A growing pet related industry is pet cemeteries, funeral homes and memorial services.  It seems that more and more people are having a hard time parting with their beloved pets and instead of burying them in the back yard are having them cremated and keeping the ashes.

A local company is called Loving Rest Pet Funeral Home.  This is where we have the pups that pass away here at the rescue cremated.  We always have a private cremation and bring their ashes home with us.

 

Another company that was featured at the Expo this year was Infinity Urns.  They offer many types of pet urns, portion urns, and urn jewelry for pet owners.  They offer some beautiful items

 

Then of course there are the pet services and supplies.  Scooper Troopers has their booth and their dog Cash there every year. 

They specialize in pet waste removal.  If you have more than one dog, you know removing their waste from your yard is a must.  Not just because you don’t want to step in land mines, but also because of health issues. 

Then there were the stain remover products.  Most of us have heard of Nature’s Miracle.  There was another product there called Urine Off.  From the tests they did there, it seemed to work.  A friend of mine purchased some of the product.  Once she uses it and can give me feedback, I will let you know how it works.

A couple other products I found interesting and useful were from the Essential Needs booth.  They had a “Cool Pooch” Water Bottle.  There is a ‘bowl’ at the top with a separate ‘straw’ for you.  You squeeze the bottle and water flows into the bowl for your dog to drink from.  No backwash into the bottle so the water you drink stays fresh and clean.

Then there was an all-natural pesticide for fleas and ticks called bugRIGHT.  It is made with diatomaceous earth and essential oils.  I know from my research on fleas that this combination of ingredients has is a natural and safe way to get rid of pests.  My friend also purchased some of this, so as soon as I get some feedback, I will let you know how well it works.

There was another vendor there selling all different kinds of Elk Antler Dog Treats.  All the reviews and feedback I’ve heard about Elk Antlers have been positive.  These are a safe and natural product to give your dogs to chew on.  Of course nothing beats a good old stick.  J

 

 

Here are some more photos I took at this event.  We really had a great time and hope to see you at next year’s Expo.