Amazing Pet Expos Celebrates National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week at Every Expo

    ST. LOUIS, MO, November 05, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Since 2009, over 1500 Animal Rescue Shelters have participated as exhibitors at an Amazing Pet Expo (APE), finding new volunteers, adoptees, and even some new animals to help. In any of the 92 Pet Expos that have been produced by APE, pet-lovers have had the opportunity to contribute to their local animal shelters no matter the time of year.

National Animal Shelter Appreciation week was founded by the Humane Society of the United States in 1996 in order to encourage people to become acquainted with their local animal shelters and rescues and find out how they can assist with the work that these shelters do every day.

Amazing Pet Expos was founded with a similar mission: To let pet lovers know about all of the fantastic resources in their own communities. "Before we started the Pet Expos," says Patti Welch, Vice President of Amazing Pet Expos, "We would get calls all the time from people asking for help with their pet because they lost their job and couldn't afford to keep him. What that person didn't yet know was that most cities have pet food pantries, low-cost immunizations, free spay and neuter resources and even wonderful rescue groups that offer help so that these four-legged family members can stay right where they belong: with their family."

That "mission" quickly took on a life of its own to now include 39 pet expos across the country - all of them indoors - with an average of 150 exhibitors, live entertainment, education and demonstrations, Petfinder.com mega-adoption areas with more than 250 rescue pets available for adoption, low-cost immunizations, discounted microchipping, free nails trims for all the furry friends who need them and more.

"We had to have a Mega-Adoption Area with local Animal Shelters featuring their adoptable pets," says Welch. "Pet communities wouldn't be what they are today without these important organizations rescuing and protecting animals in their respective cities."

Even when animals aren't being adopted from the shelters, Animal Rescues are featured in their Entertainment aspect, frequently giving educational presentations about caring for a new rescue pet, how to get involved in animal rescue organizations, and how to interact with a stray before contacting the proper place.

"People don't know that there is so much more that can be done for an Animal Shelter than simply adopting a dog," says Welch. "Every shelter needs volunteers, whether they're simply spreading information about the organization, fostering a pet until they can be adopted, or stopping by the shelter once a week to walk some of the dogs or pet the cats. All of this information can be found at an Amazing Pet Expo."

For more information about Amazing Pet Expos, visit them online at http://amazingpetexpos.com, call 800.977.3609, email [email protected] or check out some of their social media pages at facebook.com/amazingpetexpos or twitter.com/AmazingPetExpo.

# # #