South County Pet Expo returns for eighth year
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South County Pet Expo returns to Lake Forest for its eighth year helping to educate and grow pet families.
“It’s one of the largest animal-based events put on by a city in Orange County,” said Kevin Fernandez, the city of Lake Forest’s Management Services supervisor.
The event takes place Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lake Forest Sports Park & Recreation Center. It’s free to enter and has a “hippie” theme this year of “All They Need is Love.” Parking is also free, but is limited at the park, so guests can park across the street in the Saddleback Church parking lot.
The pet expo is organized by nonprofit Pet Adoption Center of Orange County and the city of Lake Forest, with support from Third District Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner’s office, according to April Josephson, the center’s executive director.
“This event fills a number of important needs within the south county community,” Josephson said. “It facilitates the adoption of rescued animals, educates the public on pet care and provides easy access to many services, including a low-cost vaccine and wellness clinic for pets, pet licensing information and other pet-related support needs.”
She said this year they have nearly 80 vendors participating. Event highlights include animals for adoption and related vendors, and HEART 4 Pets’ low-cost mobile vet clinic for dogs and cats needing vaccinations or microchips. Dogs, cats, birds, rodents and other small animals will be available to adopt. The expo is also a pet-friendly event — vaccinated and well-socialized dogs are welcome to attend. There’s a carnival area, an Earth Day section with crafts, live music with the Summer of Love Band, and even mini horses and cows.
“Along with the pets for adoption to meet, vendor giveaways and information at all of the booths, the city provides food trucks, children’s activities and music,” Josephson said. “One of the most popular activities is meeting the mini horses and cows that are therapy animals.”
There’s also a silent auction to raise funds for the Pet Adoption Center of Orange County and a pet food donation drive for the center’s partner nonprofit, the RSM Cares food pantry.
“Often just by providing pet food, pet owners are able to keep their pets, rather than giving them up,” she said.
Russell G. Taylor, who co-founded Modjeska Ranch Rescue with his wife in 2001 in their Modjeska Canyon home, will be at the expo. He said they started their menagerie by rescuing some dogs and it grew to include cats, horses, pigs, llamas and even wild mustangs. He even wrote a book about it called, “Living in an Animal Rescue.”
“We’ve morphed in the last few years to being more of a hospice or a sanctuary,” he said. “They live out their days here.”
They attend the expo to connect with potential animal adopters and demonstrate what they do.
“It raises the profile of responsible pet ownership,” he said about the expo. “We try to make sure that people understand that dogs are not Christmas presents. They’re not things that you should take on lightly and it’s a commitment. Our ideal would be that people like us were not needed. That people get animals and look after them, and it’s a lifelong commitment.”
Though the animal-focused event America’s Family Pet Expo, which took place in Costa Mesa, did not survive the pandemic, the South County Pet Expo made it through.
“Like everyone else, we took a break at the beginning of the pandemic,” Josephson said. “However, our nonprofit mission is to help local pets and families. Working with the city of Lake Forest to co-sponsor this well-attended event, we felt it was important to continue to provide these valuable community services. Many of the pet rescue groups consider this their best event of the year.”
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