Students Work Pet Trade Show in Las Vegas

Several College of Agriculture students had the opportunity this summer to work at Superzoo, one of the largest trade shows for pet retailers in the country.

The five students worked at the Horn Animal Wellness booth at the July 21-23 show held in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. They were Caryn Butts, Amy Guerrero, Mackenzie Hays, Luke Lightbody, and Roxana Velazquez.

They set up the interactive displays that are designed to engage passersby and promote the educational talks being given in the School of Animal Wellness, which La Mirada-based Horn sponsors. 

The School of Wellness featured seminars by experts on such topics as “Optimal Vitamin Nutrition for Dogs and Cats” to “Who is Looking Out After Your Pet Food.”

The students worked all three days of the show, learning firsthand what trade shows are all about. They were also able to explore the show and network with representatives throughout the companion animal industry.

The Department of Agribusiness and Food Industry Management/Agricultural Science at Cal Poly Pomona has assisted Horn at Superzoo the last few years. Last year, students created the interactive displays for the booth, which covered such topics as pet arthritis, dog anatomy, household hazards, pet nutrition and food ingredient tips.

Students are chosen based on several criteria, primarily their interest in the companion animal industries from a business/marketing perspective or a more scientific approach, such as food ingredients, diet formulation and pharmaceuticals.

The learning opportunity was arranged through Lisa Alley-Zarkades (’82, foods and nutrition), a member of the dean’s advisory council and Horn’s vice president of commercial development and animal wellness.