The 2025 Green Bay Pet Expo took place March 14 and 15 at the Resch Center. It was an event filled with furry friends, rescue organizations, shopping, and entertainment.
Every year since 2021, the Resch Center has hosted the pet expo, showcasing all things pets. Attendees can adopt a dog or cat there, participate in a dog obstacle course, watch demonstrations, and even get in on the fashion show. This is a family-friendly event where people can also bring their pets to join the activity and meet other furry friends.
Many rescue organizations have gotten their name out into the community, along with getting their dogs adopted through this expo. One rescue organization that attended was Albert’s Dog Lounge out of Whitewater, WI. This rescue crew has been helping to save dogs’ lives since 2017. It all started when a senior dachshund arrived in Wisconsin in 2016, who was homeless. His name was Albert, and he had congestive heart failure and years of neglect. After finding a home with Mandy and Darren, Albert inspired them to start a rescue organization for seniors, special needs, and hospice dogs.
Mandy Lewis, Founder/President of Albert’s Dog Lounge, says, “Albert’s Dog Lounge was established in 2017 with the vision of being the stepping stone to a new life for those dogs who are less likely to be rescued, adopted, or at a higher risk for euthanasia.” Since starting in 2017, they have rescued approximately 2,500 seniors, special needs, and hospice dogs. The pet expo has been a help in getting their dogs adopted, “So far, several of our dogs have gotten applications from this event, including a bonded pair of chihuahuas. Bonded pairs are often some of the hardest dogs to adopt out, so this is great news,” Lewis stated.
Another rescue organization that attended was Unforgettable Underdogs. The rescue was started in 2013 by four women who wanted to help at-risk dogs. Unforgettable Underdogs states, “Our mission is to serve at-risk and homeless dogs in Wisconsin by building a supportive community network to improve the lives of those needing a second chance. We aim to find loving, responsible, and committed permanent homes for every dog in our care. We do this through a thorough adoption process, matching each dog to the best-fit family, and by educating adopters on the responsibilities involved in bringing a new dog into their life—especially that particular dog. We keep overhead costs low so most of our resources go directly to the animals. We also stay involved in our dogs’ lives post-adoption, supporting families beyond the initial placement.
Since the rescue started in 2013, they have rescued over 450 underdogs and helped them find their forever homes. “This particular expo had a wonderful impact. Because we participated, we were able to showcase some of our available dogs and ultimately get ourpuppies adopted. It was a great opportunity for exposure and connection with the community, and we’re grateful we could be part of it,” Unforgettable Underdogs said.
The event has an adoption wall where they showcase different rescue organizations’ dogs that are available to adopt. Through this wall, attendees are able to see a picture of each dog and pick one to adopt. After picking, one of the attendees can go to the organization’s booth at the expo and start the adoption process with them. It provides an opportunity for attendees to view adoptable dogs and engage with local rescue efforts.
Morgan Darr, an expo attendee, said, “The adoption wall was a cool way to catch people’s eye on a dog they may want to adopt and it shined light on just how many dogs don’t have a home and need to be adopted. It was very heartwarming to see people looking at each dog and taking the flyer to learn more and potentially adopt.”
Throughout the expo they had Brown County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit demonstrations. In these demonstrations, they showed the audience how the dogs listen to commands, search and detect substances, and suspect control. The first part started out with a police officer hiding a substance underneath a cone. After hiding it under one of the cones, another police officer brought out the dog. After less than a minute the dog had sniffed out the substance under the right cone and alerted his owner.
Another part of the demonstration included the dog listening to commands and obeying them. The dog’s owner would have the dog run forward, and after saying “stay,” the dog stopped on a dime and waited until his owner said go. “The K9 demonstration was definitely my favorite thing to see at the expo. It was crazy to see just how well the dogs listened even in front of an audience and in a loud environment,” Darr stated.
The pet expo has been a major resource in helping rescue organizations find homes for their available dogs, but it also can serve as a stress reliever for attendees and students before or during midterms. Mason Chipman, senior at UWGB and expo attendee, says, “ It’s a fun way to take your mind off of school and learn something new. For those students that may not be from the area it’s a good way to see the events going on here and get involved. I think pets are a known stress reliever, and being able to focus your mind on petting all the sweet dogs there helps to relieve some of that schoolwork stress. There was also a fun petting zoo where you could see donkeys, goats, bunnies, and more.”
This pet expo has given many rescue organizations a way to help get their available dogs forever homes. It continues to help educate people about pets and all animal rescue efforts within their city. The expo offers attendees a chance to participate in community activities and interact with animals in a relaxed setting.