Chicagoland Family Pet Expo coming this weekend at Arlington Park
The 25th annual Chicagoland Family Pet Expo will run Friday through Sunday, March 17-19, at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights.
Exposition highlights include performances by rescue dogs on the Disc-Connected K9s Frisbee Dog Team, performing parrots for That Guy with the Birds, West Burb Wiener dog races, the Kitten Corral open air adoption center and the live snake tree and other crawling pets from the Chicago Herpetological Society.
Show hours are 1 to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the racecourse, 2200 W. Euclid Ave. in Arlington Heights.
Admission is $10, $5 for children ages 3-12, with a coupon for $1 off at www.petchicago.com. From 5 to 9 p.m. Friday only, a second admission ticket of the same price is free. Parking is $7. Pets aren't allowed unless they are part of a performance or exhibit.
Among the attractions:
All dogs of the Disc-Connected K9s Frisbee Dog Team, which is based in Jacksonville, Florida, were abandoned or dropped off at shelters. This team has competed around the globe.
The dogs not only catch a flying disc from multiple vantage points, says trainer Lawrence Fredrick, but do it choreographed to music matched to each dog's personality and temperament.
The dogs include Easy Rider, a border collie adopted from a Colorado shelter, who performs to Steppenwolf's “Born to be Wild” on three working legs, and Harley-Davidson, a border collie and three-time world champion who performs to “Real Wild Child” by Iggy Pop.
“Border collies, Australian shepherds, Australian cattle dogs, Jack Russell terriers and all active mixed breeds are all good candidates for our team,” Fredrick says. “They are all high energy, intelligent and they love to compete.”
That Guy with the Birds trainer/caretaker Ken Sprouse continues the legacy of John Lege, who died last year. Lege founded the group of performing parrots 40 years ago in Pennsylvania when he began taking in and training neglected and unwanted birds.
Performances feature about 25 birds, including Louie, age 28, a green-winged macaw confiscated after being smuggled into the country from Central America, who loves to shoot hoops and play ring toss, and Woody, a 53-year-old yellow collared macaw.
“A bird's longevity is often the reason the bird comes to us in the first place,” Sprouse said. “They require a lot of attention. It's sort of like dealing with a 2-year-old for 100 years.”
The Wiener Dog Race put on by West Burb Wieners rescue group raises funds to cover medical expenses for dachshunds and other dogs that come to the rescue group. Winners of five division races will compete for grand champion.
“These sweet little dogs are amazingly competitive,” said Tom Comro, a founder of West Burb Wieners in Elgin.
The Kitten Corral adoption center enables cats to roam free and allows prospective adopters to play with them and learn their personalities before choosing their new best friend. It's operated by Open Doors Animal Rescue, an all-volunteer, foster-home-based group.
The Chicago Herpetological Society living snake tree sports dozens of crawling snakes. The society also features turtles, some up to 50 years old, and lizards. The animals are members' personal pets, are nonvenomous, have been socialized and are comfortable around people.