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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Holding up an alligator, zookeeper Geordi Hall educated a large group all about the species and reptiles in general before moving onto a very relaxed bearded dragon and, finally, a giant snake.</p><p>Garnering interest and curiosity from children and parents pulling out phones to snap a photo, the live demonstration was just one of the highlights of Saturday&#8217;s Pet Expo at the Kingston Armory to benefit the SPCA of Luzerne County.</p><p>Subaru of Wyoming Valley acted as the presenting sponsor for the expo.</p><p>In its third year, event coordinator Nancy Derwin said the expo featured a variety of activities, vendors, exhibits and more for people and pets alike.</p><p>Several types of animals were on display and patrons also had the option to bring their own pets.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s amazing,&#8221; Derwin said as she looked around the floor of the armory. &#8220;It&#8217;s somewhere where a family can come out with their pets.&#8221;</p><p>More than 80 vendors filled the floor for the expo, offering everything from home fragrance to chew toys. A rabies and microchip clinic was held earlier in the day.</p><p>&#8220;Today, we&#8217;ve been really busy. We&#8217;ve had about 2,000 people,&#8221; Derwin said of attendance by lunchtime.</p><p>For Scranton residents Michelle and Grant Whitney, the pet expo was a good way to help socialize their one-and-a-half year-old Dogue de Bordeaux, Maddie.</p><p>The breed is a very powerful mastiff-type dog.</p><p>Garnering attention from passersby, the massive brown pooch traveled all the way from a a breeder in Holland to be the Whitneys&#8217; new pet and show dog.</p><p>The family said they attend the expo every year and enjoy seeing other dogs, frequenting favorite vendors and more.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s good socialization. It simulates a dog show atmosphere where dogs are walking by each other all the time, and you want to get them used to that,&#8221; Michelle added.</p><p><strong>&#8216;Create a connection&#8217;</strong></p><p>Finishing up his second show of the day, zookeeper Hall of Clyde Peeling&#8217;s Reptiland invited a group to pet Gazer, a 20-pound boa constrictor.</p><p>He said he enjoys working with the SPCA and educating individuals on reptiles while hopefully reducing people&#8217;s fears of the animals. Saturday&#8217;s demonstrations featured roughly six different reptiles.</p><p>&#8220;When we get an opportunity to let them make direct contact, they appreciate the animal more. They create a connection,&#8221; said Hall. &#8220;Years down the line when they find out some species may be endangered, they create a connection and they want to protect that species.&#8221;</p><p>SPCA executive director Todd Hevner said proceeds from the expo will assist with daily operations at the shelter such as veterinary care, supplies, food and more.</p><p>And help couldn&#8217;t come at a better time.</p><p>&#8220;We are at capacity,&#8221; he said of the SPCA shelter. &#8220;At this point with spring and the warm weather moving in, kitten season is going to get ready to start and we&#8217;re really going to ramp up with intake.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;The community has really come out en masse to support animal welfare as a whole and celebrate the businesses and the good work that a lot of the rescues and shelters are doing in our area,&#8221; he continued.</p><p>The SPCA is in need of blankets, sheets and laundry detergent, he added.</p><p>The Pet Expo continues Sunday.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Julio Saldana, of Berwick, holds his dog Bella while filling out a raffle ticket at the Pet Expo on Saturday afternoon at the Kingston Armory. The event was held to benefit the SPCA of Luzerne County. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_ttl033119petexpo-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Julio Saldana, of Berwick, holds his dog Bella while filling out a raffle ticket at the Pet Expo on Saturday afternoon at the Kingston Armory. The event was held to benefit the SPCA of Luzerne County. </caption0><photoCredit0>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_ttl033119petexpo-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kinsleigh Church, 5, of Shickshinny, mops the floor to keep it clean for the animals during the SPCA&#8217;s Pet Expo on Saturday at the Kingston Armory. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_ttl033119petexpo-2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Kinsleigh Church, 5, of Shickshinny, mops the floor to keep it clean for the animals during the SPCA&#8217;s Pet Expo on Saturday at the Kingston Armory. </caption1><photoCredit1>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_ttl033119petexpo-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tiffany Centak, of Subaru of Wyoming Valley, brought her rescue dog Chestnut to work with her Saturday and gave him some love during the SPCA of Luzerne County&#8217;s Pet Expo at the Kingston Armory. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_ttl033119petexpo-3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Tiffany Centak, of Subaru of Wyoming Valley, brought her rescue dog Chestnut to work with her Saturday and gave him some love during the SPCA of Luzerne County&#8217;s Pet Expo at the Kingston Armory. </caption2><photoCredit2>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_ttl033119petexpo-4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Geordi Hall, of Clyde Peeling&#8217;s Reptiland near Williamsport, holds an alligator while talking about the animal&#8217;s habitat and behavior during the SPCA of Luzerne County&#8217;s Pet Expo at the Kingston Armory on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_ttl033119petexpo-4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Geordi Hall, of Clyde Peeling&#8217;s Reptiland near Williamsport, holds an alligator while talking about the animal&#8217;s habitat and behavior during the SPCA of Luzerne County&#8217;s Pet Expo at the Kingston Armory on Saturday. </caption3><photoCredit3>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_ttl033119petexpo-7.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Ellie Johnson, 3, of Mountain Top, reacts to an 8-week-old French Bulldog named Dodson at the SPCA of Luzerne County&#8217;s Pet Expo at the Kingston Armory on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_ttl033119petexpo-7.jpg</photo4><caption4>Ellie Johnson, 3, of Mountain Top, reacts to an 8-week-old French Bulldog named Dodson at the SPCA of Luzerne County&#8217;s Pet Expo at the Kingston Armory on Saturday. </caption4><photoCredit4>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Pet Expo draws large crowd of animal lovers