Amazing Pet Expo

Bring your Pet to the Tampa Bay Pet Expo on Saturday, March 10, 2012 and Meet Shorty Rossi, Star of ‘Pit Boss’ on Animal Planet and Celebrity Pet Expert Harrison Forbes

125+ exhibitors, low-cost vaccinations, mega-adoption event, agility course and obedience demos, DockDogs®, training tips, pet costume contest & more attracts thousands of pet lovers to this annual free event at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

Tampa Bay, FL - Pet lovers in the Tampa Bay area should get their four-legged friends ready for the 2012 Tampa Bay Pet Expo, Saturday, March 10th, at The Florida State Fairgrounds. This free indoor event attracts thousands of pet lovers looking to enjoy a day out with their furry, feathered or reptilian pals!

From 10 AM to 6 PM, the expo will be packed with more than 125 local and nationally-recognized veterinarians, groomers, trainers, retailers and organizations primarily geared towards pet lovers. Whether you’d like to learn, shop, play or adopt, this an event you won’t want to miss!

Shorty Rossi, star of ‘Pit Boss’ on Animal Planet will be making an appearance with his popular canine sidekick, Hercules. Rossi has a special passion that has been a major part of his life since he was a teenager – championing the cause of pit bulls. When Rossi isn’t managing Shortywood Productions, a company that works with little people in the entertainment industry or filming ‘Pit Boss,’ he’s working with Shorty’s Pit Bull Rescue, a charity he formed that rescues, rehabilitates and places neglected and abused pit bulls in loving, nurturing homes. Shorty’s Rescue is not a shelter or a charity; its employees work tirelessly to help relieve the suffering of and prevent cruelty to pit bulls through education and activism.

Celebrity Pet Expert Harrison Forbes will also attend the expo and appear on stage to answer your most challenging pet questions. Forbes’ 20 year career as a dog trainer, animal behaviorist, and best-selling author has propelled him into the spotlight as a highly sought-after pet expert. His extensive career in dog training has made Forbes the “go-to” guy for national pet stories, appearing as the resident pet expert on “Live with Regis and Kelly,” and on the Fox News Network, CNN, CBS "The Early Show,” and “The Today Show” on NBC. Forbes is also an emcee for national fundraisers for several charities and Toyota’s pet safety initiative spokesperson, in addition to writing his travel advice column in FIDO magazine called “Forbes only Knows.” Having been involved in the training and importing of over 700 police service dogs, Harrison has also been called upon to train dogs for films in Hollywood, including Francis Ford Coppola’s film “The Rainmaker.”

Because the Tampa Bay Pet Expo is also designed to promote responsible pet ownership, a major highlight of the day will be a mega-adoption event hosted by Banfield Pet Hospital. Courtney Rydstrom, Director of Show Production for the expo explains, “The Banfeld mega-adoption event is a very popular part of this expo. If you’re looking to add a new member to your family, more than 200 pets will be available for adoption, along with information from dozens of local rescue groups and shelters. It’s wonderful to see a pet connect with their new forever home.”

If it’s entertainment or live demonstrations that you’re interested in, you’ll have ample opportunity to watch – and take part in – the day’s events. You can sign your pet friend up to participate in several competitions, such as the ever-popular costume contest, talent contest or pet/owner musical chairs. Information about obedience training, pet behavior, nutrition, activism and more will be presented all day on the entertainment stages.

The expo’s agility course attracts a large following that enjoy watching handlers race their dogs through an obstacle course. The handler's controls are limited to voice, movement, and various body signals, requiring exceptional training of the animal and coordination of the handler.

Rydstrom adds, “A lot of people don’t realize all of the pet-friendly resources available to them in their communities and our goal is to help get that information out there. It’s a fun-filled day for pet owners - or those who’d one day like to be!”

Of course, pets are welcome to attend the event, provided that they are on a fixed lead and have proof of age-appropriate current vaccinations. Not up to date on vaccinations? Don’t worry! There will be discounted vaccinations and low-cost microchipping available. You can even take advantage of free nail trims!

The Tampa Bay Pet Expo is organized by Amazing Pet Expos, which currently produces more than 19 pet expos around the country; all of them indoors and free to the general public.

www.tampabaypetexpo.com or www.facebook.com/tampabaypetexpo