Had A Pawtastic Time at the Novi Pet Expo And YOU Will too!

This is DEFINITELY the month of the Pet Expo! A week ago I was lucky enough to attend the Miami-Ft.Lauderdale Pet Expo and Friday I attended the:

The Novi Pet Expo began yesterday and is taking place today until 8pm and tomorrow from 11am til 5pm! Well-behaved canine citizens are welcome with proof of current vaccination status—but NO retractable leashes, please!

 Admission $10.00 Adults, Children 6-12, $5.00

 5 and Under, Free!

Parking is $5.00

  Saturday 10 am-8 pm, Sunday, 11am-5 pm 
For an Expo Schedule
click here
(times are subject to change!)

I was lucky enough to have two free tickets given to me for featuring the Expo on my blog a few weeks ago but even if I wasn't comped tickets, it is well worth the price of admission!

The Novi Pet Expo is MUCH larger than the one I attended in Florida last week. When my husband and I first arrived I stopped to say hi to a couple of the volunteers from Michigan Humane:

Then I was greeted by the BIGGEST "Pet Superstore" imaginable!

You could find virtually anything and everything at the Super Store as well as at the booths set up around the Expo.

My pal from  Purina wasn't there but I met some new furiends from Purina that WERE there! (Purina was one of the sponsors).

There were all sorts of animals there from reptiles to parrots, horses and cows!!!

As my husband and I made our way around the venue, we were greeted by one of my "bonus daughters", Marla,  who happens to work for a local rescue here in Michigan called "Almost Home".  She was with Lauren, (the daughter of the owner of Almost Home, who also works for the rescue. I had blogged about Lauren and her mother in 2011, you can read the entire post here ) 

Lauren and my "Bonus" Daughter, Marla

Me, Marla and my husband, Lenny

There were a large number of rescues present at the Expo, most were dog-centric, but we DID see a number of cats that were available for adoption. (I didn't allow myself to linger long at their cages, because I just can't handle not being able to take them ALL home!)

Wait til you see the adorable kittens featured below, I stumbled into the photo op of the century!

 The Tabby on the left was vigorously/relentlessly grooming the black kitty on the right and the black kitty wasn't phased in the least!  Even with all of the nipping and bunny kicking that took place, the black kitty accepted the "lovin", and seemed to relish every second of it!

It was seriously the CUTEST EVER!!

I immensely enjoyed walking around and meeting and speaking with some of the vendors that were there. A few of the booths were already decked out for Christmas:

 Speaking of Christmas. If you live in Michigan and are looking for gifts for the pet lovers in your family, the Novi Pet Expo is DEFINITELY the place to go! Here are a a few of my favorite vendors:

The above items are items that I purchased from Small Paws, Jewelry for Pet People a division of:

From their Etsy Shop:

River Wolfe Art Jewelry is know for high quality handmade jewelry. Many of our beads are handmade with great attention to detail and design. We're known to many Animal Rescue Organizations, Dog and Cat Organizations and Animal Lovers for our Small Paws line of Pet Themed Jewelry, you'll find other designs that incorporate Love, Hope, Peace and Whimsy throughout our store as well. 

Had  lovely time speaking with the owner at her booth!

We make jewelry that reflects who you are.

We've been making and selling polymer clay jewelry for over 10 years, our main venues are art festivals in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, New York and Pennsylvania.

As I made my way around the Expo there were even MORE items that I fell in love with! Below are some delectable oils that I purchased from  MadgeandGert.com

They also make all natural soy candles that they make right here in Michigan! I was in complete ecstasy when I was sniffing their myriad of scents! Many of them smelled good enough to eat! I bought a Almond Cherry candle that is to die for!

I thought it was brilliant for a candle/oil artisan to be present at a Pet Expo. Pet people are often paranoid that their homes smell like pets and are often seeking a way to disguise the fact that pets reside in the home.

Last but DEFINITELY NOT LEAST I ran into my old buddy Deb, from:

Who I first featured on this blog back in January of 2012!!  It was like "old home" day seeing her again! We embraced like long lost buds and made plans to reconnect in early 2015. Deb makes unique, HIGH QUALITY, "upscale apparel for pet parents!" Her designs are amazing, you should check them out, they make great gifts for the holidays, but trust me, you WILL see her again in early 2015!!!

Deb and my husband, Lenny

It appears I wasn't the ONLY one who was interested in doing some holiday shopping, while speaking to Deb, I looking across the aisle and who did I see? It  appears that this gentleman was either ordering online or do you think he was checking his list of "Who is naughty and nice?" 

"Santa" checking his iphone?
He didn't even notice
that I took this pic!
"Zooms" are great!

You can meet Santa and everyone else that I mentioned plus many more if you head out to the Novi Pet Expo!!! It is a MUST see event!

Thankful Thursday for #Purina:Dearborn Animal Shelter Wins Purina Cat Chow Prize Pack and Grant Money

Purina® Cat Chow® Celebrates 50 Years

 by Helping Improve 50 Shelters

OH MY CAT my furiends! It's Cody and am I ever HONORED to present this post to you today!  As many of you know, I am one of a clowder of kitties who is on the Purina Cat Blogger panel and I happen to live in Michigan.

Well, one day I was reading my newsletter from Dearborn Animal Shelter and I discovered that they had won prize packages from my pals at PURINA!!!

Now, since I don't have thumbs, Mom had to hold and dial the phone for me when I contacted my furiends at the Dearborn Animal Shelter and told them who we are and asked if they could send us information that we could share with you! They kindly obliged!

Dearborn Animal Shelter Wins 

Purina Cat Chow Prize Pack and Grant Money

Two separate campaigns this year will help adoptable cats in local Shelter

 Purina Cat Chow is celebrating their 50 year anniversary by helping 50 shelters across the country, one in each state. The Dearborn Animal Shelter was the recipient organization in Michigan for two separate campaigns, securing products from Purina as well as grant money.

   

The first campaign took place in early spring in which shelters were awarded prize packs with a host of Purina products to select from based on the organization’s specific requests. Having more than 200 cats and kittens in its care, the Dearborn Animal Shelter chose items that were immediately helpful for its felines.  The prize pack included Purina Cat Chow Complete Formula Cat Food, Tidy Cats non-clumping litter, stretch and scratch cardboard stretchers, cat towers and beds and a cat tower/ scratching post.

    

In the second campaign, which took place in early summer this year, the Dearborn Animal Shelter was once again in the running for Purina’s help.  This time the community participated through online voting.  Based on a tally of these votes, the organization was awarded just over $1600 in grant monies.  Sandy Boulton, Spokesperson for the Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter said,

 “Purina Cat Chow is a great supporter and friend to shelters like ours across the country who help rescued animals, including cats and kittens.  We are grateful for Purina’s generosity as a recipient organization while they celebrate their 50th anniversary helping others".

            The Dearborn Animal Shelter is located at 2661 Greenfield Road, Dearborn, and is operated by the Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Phone (313) 943-2697 and online www.DearbornAnimals.org

You can also follow the Shelter on Facebook and Twitter. 

I am also pleased to share some kitties that are looking for their furever home right now, if interested contact the shelter at the numbers above:

"Lila"

"Narissa"

"Tripoli"

PetSmart Charities® National Adoption Weekend! May 4-6

Find your PetSmart Charities Adoption Center
located in your PetSmart Store

CLICK HERE

Find Unconditional Love with an Adopted Pet at PetSmart Charities® National Adoption Weekend, February 10-12

 Valentine’s Day, is next week and what better way to share your love than to fall head over heels for a four-legged companion during the PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekend, February 10-12 at your neighborhood PetSmart® store. Save a pet’s life and enrich your own with the pure joy that only a contented purr can bring!

You're bound to find the perfect match among the thousands of pets up for adoption by more than 2,000 local animal welfare organizations in all of the 1,210 PetSmart® stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.


Your pet adoption will benefit these local shelters and rescue agencies; each will receive $35 in adoption-reward grants from PetSmart Charities for every pet they adopt in stores during this three-day event.“Adoption is one of the key ways to save pets and end pet homelessness, not to mention enrich our own lives with a loving companion,” said Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of PetSmart Charities, Inc. “Thanks to  generous donations from our wonderful supporters, PetSmart Charities funds hundreds of adoption events and awareness programs each year that help find homes for thousands of lovable and healthy pets.”Every year, PetSmart Charities and its local shelter and rescue agency partners host four National Adoption Weekends. During the 2011 National Adoption Weekends, more than 66,000 pets’ lives were saved across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.


Since 1994, PetSmart Charities has led pet-adoption efforts across North America; helping nearly 5 million pets find homes through the PetSmart Charities adoption centers. PetSmart Charities is also the leading funder of companion animal welfare efforts and has provided $134 million in grants and funding.


National Adoption Weekends are proudly sponsored by Purina® Pro Plan®, Tidy Cats® and PetSmart® in the U.S. and Puerto Rico and Purina® Pro Plan®, MAXX Scoop® and PetSmart® in Canada.


How to AdoptVisit the PetSmart Charities’ adoption center inside any PetSmart® store in the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12. To find the PetSmart® store nearest you and to learn about the adoption center’s fees and guidelines, visit
 www.PetSmartCharities.org/adoption or call 1-877-473-8762.


All of PetSmart Charities’ programs are made possible through donations. You can contribute to programs that save lives by making a tax-deductible donation online, by email at gifts@petsmartcharities.org or by calling 623-587-2826.Stay up-to-date on the many ways PetSmart Charities is saving the lives of homeless pets by visiting www.PetSmartCharities.org and by following on Facebook at www.facebook.com/savehomelesspets.


 About PetSmart Charities®Established in 1994, PetSmart Charities, Inc. is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates and supports programs that save the lives of homeless pets, raise awareness of companion animal welfare issues and promote healthy relationships between people and pets. The largest funder of animal-welfare efforts in North America, PetSmart Charities has provided more than $134 million in grants and programs benefiting animal-welfare organizations and has helped save the lives of nearly 5 million pets through its in-store adoption program. To learn more about how PetSmart Charities is working toward its Vision of a lifelong, loving home for every pet, visit  petsmartcharities.org or call 1-800-423-PETS (7387).

PetSmart Charities® National Adoption Weekend! November 11 thru November 13th

Sponsored by PetSmart, Purina, Pro Plan, Tidy Cats (U.S. Only) 

and Purina MaxxScoop (Canada Only)

All PetSmart Stores

Search for adoptable pets in your area

 by using the  Pet Locator, 

Locate a PetSmart Charities Adoption Center near you

Make A Difference!

Adopt A Pet And Save A Life!

www.petsmartcharities.org

April 29, 2011- May 1, 2011, 3 Day Pet Adoption Event-PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities® of Canada National Adoption Weekend

A three-day pet adoption event at all PetSmart® stores in North America with a goal of helping to find thousands of pets a lifelong, loving home.

Event Information

PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities® of Canada present the National Adoption Weekend.

The three-day adoption event is Friday-Sunday, April 29 - May 1, in all PetSmart® stores in North America.

Contact or visit your local PetSmart® store for participation times of local animal-welfare agencies.

The National Adoption Weekend is proudly sponsored by PetSmart®, Purina® Pro Plan®, Tidy Cats® (U.S. only) and Purina® Maxx® Scoop (Canada only).