More than 30,000 animal lovers from the ME descend on new Festival City venue for the 2009 Pedigree and Whiskas Pet Show

Mars GCC, which is responsible for the Whiskas and Pedigree pet care brands, are specialists in the health and general well being of pets and other animals; having been a global leader in pet care and animal nutrition for over 30 years.

The annual Dubai Pedigree and Whiskas Pet Show, launched in 1986, provided the best-ever range of activities and entertainment for the region's animal lovers, including a remarkable display from the police dog training officers from the Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain police departments; a dedicated veterinary tent which provided free, on-the-spot advice and support for pet owners regarding pet care; and a specialised Whiskas Cat Tent - in partnership with local cat-loving charity Feline Friends, where visitors could view a vast number of different breeds of cats - ranging from the beautiful and elegant to the cute and cuddly.

As in previous years, the highlight of the show was the famous Pedigree Dog competition, which drew a large number of entrants for the various classes throughout the day.

A panel of three specialist dog-show judges were invited from the United Kingdom to preside over the respected competition including Mrs. Marion Spavin, a world renowned judge who has officiated in almost every country of the world, with credentials including Crufts and other prestigious shows across the US. Mrs. Spavin is also a renowned dog breeder; her famous Dialynne Kennels have produced many champions across several groups including hounds, utility and gundogs.

International judge Mr. Terrence Burgess also featured on the judging panel and is a specialist on toy and utility breeds. He has significant international championship experience and has officiated at Crufts and many other top canine events. The final panel member was Mrs. Julie Amoo, a regular visitor to the Emirates and the show. She has judged at many of the world's major dog shows and is one of the very few people to win Best in Show at Crufts a few years back, with an Afghan hound.

Dubai's Pedigree and Whiskas Pet Show has grown significantly throughout the years: the first competition held in 1986 welcomed just 134 dogs, with little over 1,000 visitors: in direct contrast to 2009's 30,000 plus visitors.

Jennifer Paoli, Petcare Marketing Manager at Mars commented;

"Pedigree and Whiskas are the leading pet care brands in the region and the success of this pet show - which has been going strong for 20 years - is testament to the fact that animal lovers across the Middle East region look not only to the Pedigree and Whiskas brands for the best health and nutrition for their pets, but look forward to our annual event for an exciting and informative fun day out with their beloved animals."

"What's more, we bring all stakeholders of the pet-care community together so that animal lovers benefit from the most up-to-date information on how to care for their pets in the best way possible. Overall, it was a fantastic, fun day out that truly celebrated the joy of living with and caring for pets," Paoli concluded.
As in previous years, the 2009 pet show gave animal-related charitable organisations a unique forum to raise money for their causes.

Pedigree and Whiskas pet food have been developed by veterinarians and scientists to ensure that pets are provided with the best in balanced nutrition. Pedigree and Whiskas have spent the last 60 years developing a range of pet food that gives pets the variety they need, with the right amount of protein, fibre and vitamins - specific to each stage of a pet's life.