WEST ALLIS, Wis. — With rescues and shelters overwhelmed, the Great Lakes Pet Expo is excited to be back at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in the hopes of getting more animals adopted after not being able to host the event the past two years because of the pandemic.
Bill Stewart is the executive director of the Madison Herb Society and a member of Badgerland Reptile Rescue.
His goal is to explain to those at the Great Lakes Pet Expo why reptiles make great pets.
“A lot of people are nervous and particularly afraid of snakes, but they actually make very rewarding pets. They only eat once a week,” Stewart said. “They only go to the bathroom once a week. You just have to change their water. I like to tell people that they are only pet where you don’t have a sitter when you go out of time.”
Stewart said he has noticed how adoption trends have changed since the onset of the pandemic.
“There was a huge trend in people getting pets. I think cats and dogs, I don’t have any data on that but cats and dogs sales went up,” Stewart said. “Reptile pet sales definitely went up and now that the pandemic is over, we are seeing an increase in these animals being dropped off at rescues or abandoned at pet shops.”
Beth Enneking is the executive director for the Alliance of Wisconsin Animal Rehoming Efforts, or AWARE, that organizes the Great Lakes Pet Expo. She believes rescues and shelters have become overwhelmed because many who adopted pets during the height of the pandemic have given them back.
For Enneking, this is why it’s great to be back at State Fair Park so they can bring animals that can be adopted in front of thousands of people.
“Proceeds from ticket sales of this show will go right back into animals in the community through spay and neuter projects, individual situations, rescues and shelters are having with animals, different types of granting opportunities so all of that money goes back into the community and we are proud to have that happen,” said Enneking.
As Stewart has also nursed other reptiles like Jake the alligator, he hopes others can see how rewarding it is to adopt a rescue.
“It’s a great feeling to know that the animal is going to go into a home where it is loved and cared for and even if it’s an experienced keeper and maybe has ten or twelves lizards and this would be their 13th or someone who has been wanting a reptile their whole life and this is their first one,” Stewart said. “It’s always a good feeling when a healthy pet is going into a loving home.”
However, Stewart and Enneking believe the most important step a potential pet owner should take is to research what type of pet would work best for them.
That way, it is less likely adopted pets are returned; reducing the strain put on rescue and shelters.