Great things happen when
animal lovers come together!
The San Diego Union-Tribune Pet Expo was born at a meeting between some of the executives at The San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego's major newspaper and Shows USA, the producer of the top home shows in Southern California. We were all talking about how much we love animals and sharing stories about all our pets, when it came up that San Diego did not have a large, countywide Pet Expo. That was all it took to create a partnership that was the beginning of the San Diego Union Tribune Pet Expo. 
We met with some of the larger rescue groups and got 100% support from them, and with that went on to produce the first San Diego Pet Expo, in January of 2011. The event was a huge success, with tens of thousands of attendees, and we were thrilled that we generated enough income to pay for all the show expenses and also be able to make significant donations to several San Diego rescue groups and shelters. 43 animal rescue and adoption groups participated in the Pet Expo, and over 200 animals found their new families that weekend.
The Pet Expo also features great entertainment for the whole family, informative seminars by experts in animal care and training and exhibits of the best in products and services to make your pets healthy and happy.
Many San Diego media outlets also contributed to the Pet Expo by donating mentions and commercials about the show, and covering the Pet Expo on the news. The Pet Expo is a true coming together of pet lovers and supporters from all of San Diego, and with the support of San Diegans, the next pet expos will be bigger, better and we will get even more pets adopted into their "furever" homes.
Hundreds (probably thousands) of hours of work to produce and promote the San Diego Pet Expo were donated at no cost to the expo by the staff and management of Shows USA and the San Diego Union-Tribune. It was a labor of love to be able to create this event that helps so many dogs, cats, turtles, rabbits, horses and other animals that need homes, care and love.
We are very excited to now have the Pet Expo two times a year - in October and April, and look forward to seeing how many pets meet their new families at the next San Diego Union Tribune Pet Expo.
The photos on this page are of the pets of some of the generous people who have donated so much time and energy to the success of the event and most of these pets were adopted. Shamus O'Sheepdog (dog of Shows USA President, Tamara Walters) and Marquis (dog of Shows USA CEO, Richard Walters) were both at the January 2011 Pet Expo (pictured at the top in golf carts) and were a big hit with the attendees, and they are both very excited to return to the October Pet Expo. Make sure to stop and say hi to them at the October 15-16 Pet Expo.
Photo at left is "Zombo" who was adopted by Lynn Banda of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the co-producer of the Pet Expo.
