pet connection

The annual Global Pet Expo, taking place this week in Orlando, is the largest and most comprehensive pet products showcased in the world.

This year’s event is spread out over the huge trade show floor of the Orange County Convention Center, with more than 800 companies from around the world bringing thousands of products to show to the wholesale buyers – the animal-loving entrepreneurs and owners of your neighborhood pet store.

Exhibitors include such big corporate names as Purina, Petmate, Kurgo, Sergeant’s and Hill’s, who go out of their way to attract the attention of the show-going buyers.

But the Global Pet Expo is also the place where the little guys and gals get a shot at their own stardom. This is where they bring their homemade products – often developed on a shoestring budget in their garage or kitchen – and are finally ready to present them to the world.

Here are a few of these little guys who caught the attention of our PetConnection team at this year’s show:

Shoo! Tag: This is the one product that made us go “Wow!” Developed by two sisters from Texas who worked in the quantum biofeedback industry, the Shoo! Tag uses electromagnet frequencies to create a protective barrier against pests, such as fleas and flies, simply by attaching the small, dog tag-like piece of plastic to the animal’s collar. The magnetic strip on the back of the tag works with the animal’s energy field to create a barrier effect that repels pests for up to four months. Shootag.com.

Kitty Boinks, by Endless Possibilities, Inc. – A mother and daughter in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan developed a simple play toy for kitties that consist of brightly colored plastic woven tubes that spring from your hand, causing your kitten to chase after it across the room. KittyBoinks.com.

Mr. Barksmith’s Cool Treats: When Skip Moss realized that his dog loved frozen fruit treats, he started blending apple and bananas into a smoothie and freezing the concoction for use whenever he wanted. The all-natural, pure fruit smoothies are packaged in little cups that are easy for a dog to lick, creating a cool, long-lasting treat that is healthy for humans too. Mrbarksmith.com.

Litter Zipper, by Conceptual Products: Sheri Platt, of Pasadena, Maryland, was getting tired of spilling litter on the floor every time she cleaned her cat box, so she developed a special scoop that has a place to attach plastic bags so that every scoop goes directly into the bag, and not on the floor. www.litterzipper.com

These are just a few of the many small, yet-to-be famous, entrepreneurs who are fighting to be seen among the hundreds of competitors on the busy floor of this year’s Global Pet Expo.

Look for these products in your neighborhood pet store soon — if they are are a hit this week in Orlando.

Image: Kathy Heiney and Melissa Rogers, developers of Shoo! Tag

Update: Shoo! Tag’s horse version won the Best In Show award at this year’s Global Pet Expo.