A Virginia pet expo running through Sunday is hoping to help those who recently got new pets to find what they need.
Eric Udler, producer of the Super Pet Expo at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, said that there has been a significant increase in pets being adopted with so many people working from home.
“We promote proper pet ownership, we help draw attention to abandoned animals available for adoption,” Udler said.
The event was originally scheduled for the weekend of March 20, but the coronavirus pandemic caused them to postpone it until this weekend. And as one of the first major events to come back since the pandemic, they’ve had to take a lot of precautions.
Udler is grateful that they’ve been able to return with their show this weekend for their first in-person event since the pandemic and give their vendors an opportunity to sell their pet-themed goods.
“They go from fair to fair, show to show, festival to festival, and with the events industry being shut down, this is their first opportunity in nearly six months to get back out on the road and sell their wares,” Udler said.
He said about 70% of them are small businesses.
They have about a third less the number of vendors than last year, but Udler says that there’s been a steady crowd of people happy to be out of the house and with their pets.
“I’m born and raised and from Montgomery County. This is my hometown show, and I couldn’t think of a better place to get back on the road doing shows than my hometown,” Udler said.
The show is open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Full day tickets for adults are $13 for a full day and $8 after 3 p.m. Tickets for children ages 4 through 11 are $8.
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