Animal magnetism

Fred was one of many stray pets who wander around in search of a kind heart and a bite to eat.

Nobody knew exactly where he came from, but luckily for Fred he met Laguna Niguel resident Jane Cressall. She is the founder of Critters In Need Pet Rescue, and on Sunday she found a new home for the 18-month-old beagle after having him for two weeks.

“For every dog who gets a home, another ends up in a shelter,” said Critters In Need volunteer Lisa Tipton. “One of the biggest ways to help rescue is to foster a dog. No matter how many dogs we place, we can’t fix the problem until we learn to spay and neuter our pets.”

Fred was one of hundreds of animals up for adoption at the 17th annual America’s Family Pet Expo at the Orange County Fairgrounds. The three-day event has 30 adoption agencies and animal shelters from Southern California bringing rescued animals ? from Fred the beagle, to Babs the Labrador, to cats, rabbits, rats and snakes ? for the public to learn about and adopt.

“Our mission is to promote responsible pet care,” said Corrine Hanley, a representative for the Expo. “We want to educate people that having an animal is an obligation for the life of the animal.”

Hanley said that this year it’s expected about 500 animals at the expo will find new homes. On Sunday, Fred got to go to his new home in Newport Beach, Cressall said.

“He wandered into a veterinarian’s office after being on the streets for a while,” said Tipton, a Santa Clarita resident. “He just got a name literally 10 minutes ago.”

The Pet Expo isn’t just about adoption. It’s also about having fun while learning about animals, Hanley said. With interactive animal shows like “Splash Dogs,” “Joe Krathwohl’s Exotic Bird Show” and “Creepy Crawly Critters Show.”

“My favorite was the big vulture part and Sugar that flew through the crowd,” said Max Lamb, 6, a Costa Mesa resident.

Max’s mom Deanna Lamb went to the Pet Expo for the first time three years ago. Lamb, who came this year with Max and husband Mark, is the proud owner of a 13-year-old macaw and at her first venture to the Expo, purchased a new cage for the bird at a fraction of what she’d pay retail, she said. She’s been hooked ever since.

“I thought my husband and son would get a kick out of this,” she said.

There to promote education was the Phelan, Calif.-based Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary. This sanctuary, which rescues mostly wild cats, and its founders and volunteers spoke about the dangers of keeping a wild animal, even if it is cute.

“Most people don’t realize how prevalent it is in South Orange County,” founder Joel Almquist said of exotic and wild pet ownership. “It’s very common. People buy them illegally, or in Nevada, and cross the state lines.”

Almquist and his wife Chemaine began the sanctuary to save exotic animals from private owners and zoos who can’t keep them.

“We’re just a nonprofit trying to educate people that these animals are wild,” he said.

The Costa Mesa Police Department’s K-9 Unit was on hand to help the visitors understand what goes into training a police dog.

“A lot of people don’t know the equipment and what detail we go through to train,” Senior Officer Mike Cohen said. “It’s tiring and it’s a lot of work.”

Cohen has worked with his K-9 companion Duco, who will be retiring at the end of the year, for about six years. Cohen said the police department also goes to events like the Pet Expo to give back to the community, since the initial cost of purchasing the dog comes largely from community donations, Cohen said. The dogs that serve the Costa Mesa Police Department come from Belgium, Holland, Germany and the Czech Republic ? Duco hails from Holland and Cohen gives his commands in Dutch ? and can cost $7,000 to $9,000. When the dogs arrive in the United States, they go through more extensive training that ends up costing upwards of $14,000 to have a fully trained dog.

“It’s a lot of investment and it’s nice when the public gets to see how it’s done,” Cohen said. It also helps residents learn about the donation fund, he said.

The Expo saw some people just coming to check out the animals, while others were looking for more information on pet care or in their hunt for a new pet. Over 70,000 people flocked to each building in droves, cooing over the 1,000 animals that filled the fairgrounds during the course of the weekend.

“The over 1,000 animals ? are here for teaching people about the relationships between animals and people,” Hanley said.dpt.24-petexpo-2-kt-CPhotoInfoIU1Q8GRQ20060424iy7930ncPHOTOS BY KENT TREPTOW /DAILY PILOT(LA)Above, Nevada, a border collie owned by Shari Robinson of Panorama City, dives into a pool to retrieve his toy during the “Splash Dogs” show at America’s Family Pet Expo at the Orange County Fairgrounds on Sunday. Below, Leo, relaxes in his pen at the expo. dpt.24-petexpo-1-kt-CPhotoInfoIU1Q8GS820060424iy791zncPHOTOS BY KENT TREPTOW /DAILY PILOT(LA)Above, Nevada, a border collie owned by Shari Robinson of Panorama City, dives into a pool to retrieve his toy during the “Splash Dogs” show at America’s Family Pet Expo at the Orange County Fairgrounds on Sunday. Below, Leo, relaxes in his pen at the expo.