* Entertainment *

10:45AM: Shorty Rossi Welcomes Pet Lovers to the 2011 St. Louis Pet Expo
Shorty Rossi, star of ‘Pit Boss’ on Animal Planet, welcomes our many pet-lovers to the super fun St. Louis Pet Expo.

11:15AM:  Humans and Wildlife: What to do and What NOT to do Rescuing Wildlife
Jennifer Kornberger, Wildlife Rescue Center
Ever wonder about the balance between modern society and wildlife? Have you encountered wildlife locally but were unsure of what it meant or what to do? Have you ever found an injured rabbit/squirrel/bird and not known how to help rescue the poor creature? Are you curious about volunteering with native local wildlife? Jennifer Kornberger, with Wildlife Rescue Center, helps answer these questions and more in this fascinating presentation. PS - Wildlife Rescue Center rescued the Rally Squirrel!

11:45AM: Picking a Pet to Fit your Lifestyle
Yuppy Puppy Pet Spa
Do you lead an active lifestyle on the run, and need a pooch to match? Or do you have loads of extra free time and cash to devote to the latest and greatest in dog fashions and grooming? There are many factors in deciding on the best pet for you, and grooming and care can be a big one! Join Yuppy Puppy as they present a variety of breeds fresh from the spa and sporting current fall fashions, followed by a Q and A session to help you pick the best pet for you!

12:15PM: Obedience Demo
Melissa Heeter, Purina Pro Plan Rally to Rescue Tour
Are you wondering how other people have such well-behaved dogs? Are you sick of being dragged down the street behind a leash? Do you avoid taking your pup on walks because they’re completely out of control?  Trainer Vicky Fisher will teach you some quick and easy tips to turn those unwanted behaviors around and help create a pup that can be reliably trusted on-lead and off. Trainer Melissa Heeter, of the Purina Pro Plan Rally to Rescue Tour, will demonstrate how you can improve the relationship with your pooch through obedience training.

12:45PM: Ferrets: The Perfect Pet Alternative
Furry Ferret Rescue, Kevin Eugene Hill
There are so many reasons why ferrets make good pets and you only need to meet one to find out why. If you’re interested in getting a new pet for your family, you should look into the prospect of getting a ferret or two. They’re the perfect alternative for families that can’t have, or don’t want, a cat or dog. They’re cuddly, curious, smart and active; Kevin Eugene Hill, with Furry Ferret Rescue, will discuss why a ferret may be the perfect pet for you.

1:15PM: Talent Contest Animals Got Talent! Pet Talent Show
Does your pet have an amazing talent? Here’s your chance to show it off! Contest will consist of one category: Best Trick. Immediately following the competition winners will be determined by audience applause as assessed by St. Louis Pet Expo staff. To enter, bring your pet to the entertainment stage at 1PM (you’ll see signage directing you where to go once you arrive at the stage) and be ready to dance, jump, sing, or whatever your specialty may be!

1:45PM: The Myths Surrounding Breed-Specific Legislation
Gale Frey, Phoenix Pack
Breed-specific legislation (BSL) refers to laws that target dogs based on how they look rather than their actions. Hundreds of U.S. cities have already enacted BSL, and more cities adopt it every year. Many cities and counties—plus Marine Corps and Army bases—have banned select breeds altogether. Currently, BSL most often focuses on Pit Bull types (dogs that have “Pit Bull characteristics”), but some cities also target Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinchers, American Bull Dogs, Bull Terriers, Mastiffs, Dalmatians, Chows and other large breeds and mixes of the targeted breeds. Local animal advocate and the founder of Phoenix Pack (formerly known as Mutts N Stuff), Gale Frey, will discuss BSL, why BSL doesn’t work, and how you can help prevent breed discrimination.

2:15PM: Education to End Cruelty
Shorty Rossi & Hercules, ‘Pit Boss’ and Shortywood Productions
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; it’s employees work tirelessly to help relieve the suffering of and prevent cruelty to pit bulls through education and activism. A Q & A session will follow.

2:45PM: Missouri as the Puppy Mill Capital of the Midwest: New Laws and Progress
Bob Baker, Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation
The Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation is a non-profit organization working to bring positive change for animals through legislative means. Bob Baker, the Executive Director of the organization will present information about the passage of Proposition B, the 2011 Missouri legislative session where this legislation was repealed and replaced by the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act and the progress that has been made through inspections, development of regulations, and prosecution since that time. His information will also address the road ahead in preventing abuse and neglect in substandard breeding facilities.

3:15PM: Musical Chairs
Musical Chairs is a doggy variation of the classic children’s game.  Music plays as handlers walk with their dogs off-leash counter clockwise around a rectangular area.  A line of chairs (with alternating chairs facing in opposite direction) runs down the center of the rectangle.  When the music stops, the handlers instruct their dogs to sit by verbal request and/or hand signal only (i.e., without touching them) and rush to sit on a vacant chair in the center of the rectangle. Stop by and take part in this popular event - everyone can play!

3:45PM: CPR and First Aid Demo
Tammie Rogers, Certified PetTech Instructor
Knowing what to do in the initial moments of a crisis can be critical to your pet’s life.  In the event that a dog is not breathing, CPR, also known as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and mouth-to-snout resuscitation, can be used to save your pet’s life and stabilize them until you can reach help. In order to correctly perform pet CPR, it’s important to follow certain steps in their exact order.  Join us for a canine CPR discussion by Tammie Rogers, with DarnFar Ranch/Committed Canine, Inc. and a certified PetTech pet saver instructor, with a Q & A session to follow.

4:15PM: Easy Tricks for any Pooch
Melissa Heeter, Purina Pro Plan Rally to Rescue Tour
Teaching your dog simple tricks can not only help stimulate your dog’s brain, but improve communication skills with your dog as well - plus dogs love to learn! And who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, anyway? Not us! Trainer Melissa Heeter, of the Purina Pro Plan Rally to Rescue Tour, will teach three easy tricks that anyone can teach their pooch at home.

5:00PM: Pet Costume Contest
Due to its size, this popular event takes place on the agility course. Please see the Agility Course schedule for details.

* Agility Course *

10:10AM, 11:00AM, 12:00PM, 1:00PM, 2:00PM, 3:00PM: Agility Demonstrations Presented by Purina Farms
Agility is a sport that appeals to all dog lovers - from junior handlers to senior citizens. Agility competitors from Purina Farms will be not only be competing, they’ll also show us how agility is designed to demonstrate a dog’s ability and drive to work with it’s handler in a variety of situations. Information regarding how to get started in agility, a list of local agility clubs and a Q & A session will follow the demonstrations.

4:00PM: Bite Work and K9 Officer Working Demo
St. Charles Sheriff’s Dept
K9 Officers have a very special role in the world of law enforcement as their keen sense of smell, enhanced hearing, night-vision and endurance have continually proved to be invaluable in the effort to fight crime. The St. Charles Sheriff's department demonstrates bite work, how these canine heroes work with narcotics and how they take down the bad guys. Please note that bite work is an advanced obedience training that utilizes the dog’s natural prey drive to motivate it for protection or sport. This type of training should only be conducted by extremely experienced trainers and handlers and should not be tried at home.

5:00PM: Pet Costume Contest
Show off your pet dressed in their best costume for the super popular Pet Costume Contest! Each pet must wear a costume during the competition period to be eligible. Winners will be determined by audience applause as assessed by the St. Louis Pet Expo staff. To enter, bring your pet to the activity course at 4:45PM (you’ll see signage directing you where to go once you arrive at the agility course).