Socal Pet Expo & Spectacular

I love animals!
I was so happy that this event was free and easy. I almost wished I was able to bring my two mastiff with us but NEXT year!
Social Pet Expo was really amazing. I loved mainly just to see everyone’s dogs. Aside from just a dog expo. they had a bunch of reptiles, such as snakes and lizard in one section and parrots and pigs in another.
I loved this show, I think mainly because I am such an animal lover I enjoyed it a bit more than probably the normal folks. The vendor it self really was just subpar to the gathering!

You can’t beat a free event that your pets can enjoy INDOOR with you. Vendors are pleasant and it is a fun way to spend an afternoon with your four legged companion. The Fairplex is just a skip away from Bonelli Park so you can plan to visit the SoCal Pet Expo and then have a nice picnic with your pet and loved ones at Bonelli Park afterward. My only complaint about the expo is that they usher you to use the fair parking and pay $ 10. To avoid paying for parking, we park off of Berkeley and White Avenue and walk over to the Fairplex’s main entrance on McKinley Ave. Other than that, we love visiting the SoCal Pet Expo each year!

New location this year. Underwhelming compared to America’s Family Pet Expo in OC, but admission was free and the $ 10 parking fee includes shuttle service. Everything was contained in two exhibition buildings.

I agree with previous comment. Parking was $ 10 — too high for this area. Very few rescues present. A lot of no shows from vendors/​exhibitors. No major dog food and supplement suppliers were present, only small off brand expensive ones. There were very few booths where you could get supplies for your dogs. I have two service dogs and was hoping to get a new hands free lead to martingale. No such luck. The dachshund raceway was about the size of my hallway and only divided by a hanging drape. It would be very easy for your dog to get out. It didn’t really matter though as the raceway was a no show anyhow.
Overall I was extremely disappointed and would not recommend this event nor will I attend in the future. The expos used to be much larger and full of information.

Pretty underwhelming. The event was really small, and the vendors carried overpriced items/​services. The large majority of the items on sale were geared towards dogs, then cats; all other pets were underrepresented in this «pet expo». On top of that, every other booth was asking for donations, making you feel like a stingy bastard if you didn’t drop $.
The event was free, which was its saving grace, but you still end up spending time, parking money ($ 10) and gas to get there. Not worth it in my opinion. Go to Petco if you need something for your pet, or go to your local shelter if you are looking to adopt a pet. You’ll get the same experiences.

Fine. It was free. Except for the parking. And we left two hours in because we went to all of the booths already.
There was way too many over priced vendors. Most of the items for sale were things you could get at PetSmart, but the prices were marked up ridiculously. And there were vendors that had nothing to do with pets! Some people were selling clothes and ‘hand made jewelry’ for way too much money! Ever heard of Etsy? Your moonstone necklace isn’t worth $ 100. Etsy has it for $ 20. Also, there was a booth dedicated to taking donations for malaria prevention in Africa.
The only good thing was some of the smaller, pet related booths had great stuff for dogs, cats, birds, and small animals.
Other than that, don’t waste your time or gas driving here.

Free admission, dog-​friendly and only a $ 10 parking fee.
TIPS:
Plan wisely. Get there early to avoid the crowds and to get decent parking. Trams are available.
If you’re bringing your dog, you must have proof of a current rabies vaccine and sign a waiver. (see website–
)
Small dogs need to be carried in your arms or in a stroller to avoid being stepped on.
This was an enjoyable outing because we arrived right at the opening when it wasn’t crowded.
Early arrival gives you time to browse all the booths, talk to the vendors & exhibitors, and get some nice samples and swag.
By the time we left 90 minutes later, it was getting crowded inside the exhibition hall and there were a lot more people and their dogs on their way in. Dogs can get antsy in crowded situations.
As advertised, this was a pet expo and we saw much more than just canines.
The guy from Saving Wildlife International brought along some really cool friends.
Kumba the Mandrill
A baby hedgehog!
This pony arrived just as we were leaving.
Those guys from the cable show Tanked were there.
Met some celebri-​dogs who’ve appeared in movies & TV.
Several majestic wolves.
There was an entertainment schedule for both days, but we only caught some of the Dachshund races. Wow, those little dogs are feisty! They were taking on challengers. We conceded that even though our Corgi had the same stumpy legs and long body, he’d be left in the dust. Good fun watching though!
I found some interesting informational and vendor booths.
Took home their brochures for later perusal and lots of organic/​healthy treats & kibble.
Bought a really cool Corgi T-​shirt from the guy at the Bad To The Bone booth. (bottom right in the pic)
He sells on-​line at
which is good because we’ll probably want some more.
Took a look at many of the pets up for adoption. There was even an iguana looking for a home!
One booth I really liked was from The Gentle Barn. They’re a rescue organization.
They’re open to the public on Sundays for a hands-​on experience.
We’re thinking we’d like to visit for one of our get-​out-​of-​LA daytrips.
Had a good time!
But, like I said, go early!