EXPO DELIGHTS PEOPLE, ANIMALS ALIKE PETS FOLLOW PARENTS, KIDS AS THEY PLAY, EVEN LEARN.Byline: LISA The first personal computer to include integrated software and use a graphical interface. Modeled after the Xerox Star and introduced in 1983 by Apple, it was ahead of its time, but never caught on due to its $10,000 price and slow speed. M. SODDERS Staff Writer WOODLAND HILLS -- Brayton Harmon may only be 7 months old, but he knows what he likes: dogs. ``He just squeaks,'' said his mother, Laurie Harmon, 32, of North Hills. ``Dogs will come up to him and lick him, and his feet go wriggling.'' On Saturday, Brayton had an endless parade of dogs to enjoy at the Animal Planet Expo at Pierce College In 2006 the Library won a national Excellence award. Academics Pierce College offers associate's degrees, mainly in the arts and sciences. There are also certificate programs in early childhood education, social services, dental hygienist, and others. as a group of acrobatic Frisbee-catching dogs held his rapt attention, in addition to all the pets brought by visitors strolling the expo grounds at Pierce College. Pets ``teach ... compassion, responsibility and love -- unconditional love,'' Harmon said. ``I think his first word is going to be `dog-dog' before `Mom.''' Thousands of people and their four-legged friends braved the heat to attend the expo, fanning themselves or walking through a misting tent to cool off. There even was a special watering station for dogs. Kids could clamber clam·ber intr.v. clam·bered, clam·ber·ing, clam·bers To climb with difficulty, especially on all fours; scramble. n. A difficult, awkward climb. up a rock-climbing wall, get up close with butterflies and other insects in the Bug House, have their faces painted, crawl through a giant crocodile, learn about small animals and reptiles and meet stars of the Animal Planet television network, including Jeff Corwin of ``Corwin's Quest.'' Laleh Yetter, marketing director for Discovery Networks, said she expected more than 12,000 visitors for both days of the expo. Corwin said he was delighted to have a chance to meet his young fans, many of whom brought shirts and other items for him to autograph. ``Ultimately, this is the generation that will become the conservators of the natural resources of tomorrow,'' Corwin said. ``We're all just stewards.'' He said he tries to educate viewers that all creatures are important, not just the cute and cuddly ones. ``It's not that hard to get someone to love a panda or a cheetah cheetah (chē`tə), carnivore of the cat family, Acinonyx jubatus, native to Africa S of the Sahara and SW Asia as far east as India. ,'' Corwin said. ``But it's much harder to get them to care about a crocodile or a rare insect. In nature, values aren't applied; all life forms have their place.'' Steven Diaz, 36, and Margaret Ponce, 36, stopped at the expo with their niece and nephew, Alicia Ponce, 11, and Leo Leo, in astronomy Leo [Lat.,=the lion], northern constellation lying S of Ursa Major and on the ecliptic (apparent path of the sun through the heavens) between Cancer and Virgo; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Ponce, 8, all of Pacoima, after taking their border collie border collie, breed of medium-sized, sheepherding dog developed in the British Isles. It stands about 18 in. (45.7 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 30 to 45 lb (13.6–20.4 kg). Daisy to the vet. ``I think it's great,'' Diaz said as Daisy tugged at the leash Alicia held. ``Especially because people can bring their animals -- the dog gets to make friends.'' Doreen Clay, Pierce College spokeswoman, said the expo also was an excellent way for people to see what the 400-acre, two-year college has to offer. ``We're community-friendly and animal-friendly,'' she said. lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3663 CAPTION(S): 4 photos, box Photo: (1 -- 3) Wendy Wardlow snaps a picture of granddaughter Audrey Chase, 2, above, as a meerkat meerkat: see mongoose. meerkat or suricate Colonial species (Suricata suricatta) of the mongoose family (Herpestidae). It is a burrowing carnivore found in southwestern Africa that differs from mongooses in having four (rather than at the annual summer tour of the Animal Planet Expo at Pierce College's Victory Fields on Saturday. At right, Trevi, a Lhasa apso Lhasa apso (lä`sə ăp`sō), breed of small, alert nonsporting dog developed in Tibet many centuries ago. It stands about 11 in. (27.9 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 13 to 15 lb (5.9–6.8 kg). , and owner Dan Martinez meet Animal Planet star Jeff Corwin. At far right, Trevi waits in line to meet Corwin. (4) Herb Hennigan amazes the audience with the dog acrobatics acrobatics Art of jumping, tumbling, and balancing. The art is of ancient origin; acrobats performed leaps, somersaults, and vaults at Egyptian and Greek events. Acrobatic feats were featured in the commedia dell'arte theatre in Europe and in jingxi (“Peking of his Spinning Frisbee K9 show at the Animal Planet Expo on Saturday. Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer Box: IF YOU GO |
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