A true animal lover

Ellen McCarty

Lynette Carlson, a 16-year-old Senior Girl Scout, will hold a free

Huntington Beach Pet Lovers Expo, a project she has organized for the

last year to earn her Gold Award, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in

Central Park.

“I hope a lot of people come,” she said at her Huntington Beach home

Monday. “I want them to get a better idea of how to take care of their

pets.”

Demonstrations by the Huntington Beach Police Canine Unit, ferrets,

parrots, cats, dogs, the American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association and

about 40 other organizations will fascinate hundreds of pet-lovers

expected to attend, she said.

“My one regret is that I wasn’t able to get reptiles,” she said.

Her mom, Chris Carlson, said despite the obstacles, Lynette has done a

wonderful job.

“She’s wanted to do this since sixth-grade, but I told her it was way

beyond her capabilities,” she said.

Organizing, networking and advertising are all skills Lynette developed

during the course of the project, she said. She also gained confidence in

herself and a desire to do more for her community.

“I’m really shy, so it was intimidating to call organizations,” she said.

“I had to force myself to get over my fear and become more confident.”

The results surprised her.

“I was expecting them not to want to come, but they all did,” she said.

“If they couldn’t come, they’d help me find a similar organization. Now I

don’t mind calling people and inviting them to an event.”

Lynette is one of about 70 scouts who will earn her Girl Scout Gold

Award, an honor bestowed on only 6% of girl scouts in the country.

Above all, though, Lynette said she hopes pets will gain from the expo.

“Pets need to be loved and have companionship,” the senior scout said.

“When you keep a dog outside all the time, it’s not with its ‘pack’ of

humans. Pets have feelings, too. They’ll show it by not being themselves:

by refusing to eat or being destructive if they’re not getting the

attention they need.”

Highlights of the event include dog hurdles that increase agility,

obedience training and a Frisbee team that will perform to music before

allowing kids to throw a Frisbee to the specially-trained dogs.