11
WE LOVE OUR PETS Long Island Pet Expo Comes To Suffolk Community College FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 6, 2018
BY ALLISON EICHLER
F
aeichler@antonmediagroup.com
or pet owners and animal enthusiasts alike, the Long Island Pet Expo on March 3 and 4 is sure to please attendees of all ages. Hosted at the Suffolk Community College Health and Exposition Center in Brentwood, the expo will feature a wide variety of performers and vendors for both entertainment and educational purposes. This year marks the expo’s ninth visit to the college and will present attractions such as a rabbit and guinea pig agility course, a cat show, dancing dogs, a reptile show with alligators, snakes and more, a butterfly garden and a dog lure course. Tickets to the expo cover the cost of everything you see, but interactive acts, like the butterfly garden and lure course, come with a fee of just a few dollars. At a nominal cost, children will also be able to enjoy a petting zoo and pony rides. Dennis and Karen Garetano, who have owned Family Pet Shows since 2003, have been organizing and running the expo at Suffolk Community College since 2009—it was previously held at Nassau Coliseum. Karen said the event sees anywhere between 10,000 and 14,000 visitors, not including the hundreds of pets that come along for the show. “This is a great family event,” Garetano said. “It’s a very different type of event. Everyone should come down and enjoy a day with their family.” While many of the acts that come to perform at the expo are for entertainment, there are also plenty of opportunities for attendees to learn something new. Reptile and bird shows will inform crowds about exotic animals, The Martial ARFS will demonstrate obedience and exercise for your dog, Doggie U K9 Academy will demonstrate dog agility and some of Long
11A
Island’s animal rescue groups will be at the show to educate visitors on responsible pet ownership and offer pets in need of a home. More than 100 vendors will have booths set up around the expo, offering crowds the latest and greatest products for their pets. Veterinarians and groomers will also be available to speak with to learn everything you need to know to keep your pet happy and healthy. To keep human guests happy and healthy, the show will have concession stands available for drink and food purchases at attendees’ convenience. A major hit with residents around the island, the Long Island Pet Expo is expecting to draw in a crowd in excess of 12,000 people for its 2018 weekend. Garetano said the best part of the event for her is seeing the way they are able to delight guests. “We like to see how people enjoy themselves,” Garetano said. “Kids are amazed at some of the stuff they see.” Pet owners are more than welcome to bring their well-behaved, leashed friends to the show. As long as a waiver is filled out and your pet is up to date on vaccinations, pets of all shapes and sizes may roam the expo. Miniature horses, potbelly pigs, snakes and even skunks are some of the more unconventional pets Garetano has seen visiting the show. It’s only fitting that such a wide variety of both furry and scaly guests come to the expo, as Garetano explained it is “an event for all animals.” The show runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. One-day tickets, which include reentry throughout the day, cost $13 for adults and $6 for children. Tickets covering entry for both days are also available for purchase. Discounted tickets can be bought on the expo’s website. For more information, visit familypetshows. com/long-island-pet-expo or call 631-423-0620.
AFFORDABLE VETERINARY PET HEALTH CARE PET HEALTH CENTERS PET HEALTH CENTERS
North Shore Animal League America’s Pet Health Centers 16 Lewyt Street • Port Washington, NY 516.883.2000 Make an appointment to bring your pet in for a general checkup or special health visit!
OPEN to the Public Daily: 10 AM – 8 PM
Visit our website for more information animalleague.org/pethealthcenter
We are proud to be accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association.
10% OFF
SPECIAL PROMOTION
CLIENT’S FIRST PET VISIT
Coupon must be presented at time of visit. Limited one coupon per family. Not valid with any other offer.
182199 C
12 12A
WE LOVE OUR PETS • FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 6, 2018
Healthy Dog Food Brands For Your Pup BY ALLISON EICHLER aeichler@antonmediagroup.com
Between toys, outfits and plushy beds, there are countless ways to treat your pup to the best of what stores have to offer, but are you feeding your pooch the right food? Just as you would give the best food possible to your child, you should want to give the best food possible to your furry friend as well. Like humans, dogs need the proper nutrients to thrive and be healthy. These three brands, available at Petco and PetSmart, offer a formula free from by-products, artificial flavors and preservatives.
(Photos from petco.com)
Blue Buffalo
Wellness Core
A popular choice at pet supply stores for a reason, Blue Buffalo is grain-free and plays host to real meat, vegetables, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Unique to Blue Buffalo are LifeSource Bits, cold-formed, rather than heat-processed, nutritionally potent pieces. With an ingredient list like this, your pooch is sure to be feeling and performing at his best.
This brand prides itself on its protein-rich nutrition and all-natural ingredients. Grainfree with meats like turkey and chicken, vegetables like peas and carrots and fruit like apples and blueberries, this dog food is a top-notch choice for those who really want to give their furry friend the best of the best.
Nutro Max Grain Free This brand of dog food boasts an impressive ingredient list with no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. The first nine ingredients include plants and real meat with chicken meal as the number one ingredient. This all-natural dog food is even made with higher protein levels and essential fatty acids so your dog can have a leaner body and healthier skin.
9th Long Island Pet Expo SATURDAY, MARCH 3rd & SUNDAY, MARCH 4th
Suffolk Community College Grant Campus • Exit 53 off the LIE (Wicks Rd.)
FREE PARKING
Sat. 10AM-7PM • Sun. 10AM-5PM Regular Price: Adults $13 • Children 3-12 yrs. $6 • Children Under 3 Always Free ALL YOUR FAVORITE PETS UNDER ONE ROOF! SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS * Rainforest Reptile Shows • Diana Frohman & Her Dancing Doodles • Rabbit Hopping • TICA Cat Show Butterfly Experience • LI Parrot Society • Lure Course for You & Your Dog • Agility & Obedience Demonstrations Pet Portraits • Kids Face Painting • Adoptable Pets ~ Local LI Rescue Groups *(charges for some attractions)
Pet & Kid Friendly! Well-Behaved, Leashed & Vaccinated Pets Welcome! Visit Our Website for Weekend & Daily Discounted Tickets & Schedule!
www.FamilyPetShows.com For Information Call (631) 423-0620 • Email: petexpo@optonline.net
182636 C
Bring in this Ad for $1 OFF Each Admission
13 13A
WE LOVE OUR PETS • FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 6, 2018
Protesters Denounce ‘Puppy Mills’ BY KIMBERLY DIJKSTRA kdijkstra@antonmediagroup.com
“Adopt, Don’t Shop,” read signs carried by protesters outside Westfield Sunrise Mall in Massapequa on Sunday, Feb. 18, in opposition to American Dog Club’s alleged sourcing of dogs from USDA Licensed Commercial Breeders, commonly known as puppy mills. The protest drew dozens of demonstrators, who brought signs, pets and stories of animal abuse at the hands of puppy mill breeders. Puppy mills are large commercial breeding facilities where dogs are confined to inhumane conditions while being forced to breed. “By the time a breeding dog is 10 years old, she easily could have had 20 litters,” said protest organizer Keri Esposito-Michel, of Puppy Mill Free Long Island, NY. “These animals are never socialized, never receive exercise or a loving touch.” She added that many puppies die due to illness during transit from the Midwest or arrive in pet stores with congenital or contagious diseases. American Dog Club, which also has locations in Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove and Westfield South Shore in Bay Shore, has denied selling puppies from unlicensed breeders. The ASPCA on its website explains why breeders can be both licensed and puppy mills: “Many pet store owners will tell you they get all their puppies from ‘licensed USDA breeders’ or ‘local breeders.’ Pet stores often use this licensing to provide a false sense of security to customers, when what it really means is that they do, in fact, get their puppies from puppy mills.” “Educating the public is very important,” said Esposito-Michel. “We want them to know just what their money is supporting each time they purchase a puppy from a pet store, or online for that matter.”
Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside Westfield Sunrise Mall on Sunday, Feb. 18, to protest American Dog Club, which allegedly sells dogs from puppy mills. (Photos courtesy of Keri Esposito-Michel)
Puppy Mill Free Long Island, NY is Facebook page run by volunteers. The group receives sick and dead dog reports from consumers daily and provides information on where they can file their complaints. Inquirers are often referred to the NYS Attorney General, NYS Department of Agriculture, Nassau County Consumer Affairs, Suffolk County Consumer Affairs and the Better Business Bureau. New York State has a Pet Lemon Law which can be found at ag.ny.gov/
consumer-frauds/pet-lemon-law. “In addition to this information, we assist consumers in obtaining pets from their local shelters, breed-specific rescue groups and, if need be, in finding reputable breeders, which would never sell to a pet store,” said Esposito-Michel. “A smart consumer is an informed consumer.” The organization has been working to get New York lawmakers to join more than 200 municipalities across the country in banning the sale of
Special Orders Welcome
commercially bred animals in pet stores. California passed a statewide ban in 2017, to go into effect January 2019. “Puppies aren’t commodities,” Esposito-Michel said. “These pet stores are making a living off the backs of suffering animals and it must stop.” Visit www.facebook.com/puppy millfreelongisland and www.aspca. org/animal-cruelty/puppy-mills/ closer-look-puppy-mills for more information.
YOU WANT IT, WE CAN GET IT!
Experienced Knowledgeable & Friendly Staff
461 Old Country Road, Westbury, NY 11590 516-333-0682 • www.nyaquariumvillage.com Across from Source Mall. Parking in Rear.
181251 C