5 unusual finds at San Diego’s Pet Expo

From doggie treadmills to pooch-friendly selfie tools, the San Diego Pet Expo has something for every dog, cat and critter lover in town.

Taking place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds this weekend, the free exposition will draw around 19,000 people this year, organizers said. Attendees can expect an assortment of booths — and animals, including cockroaches, actual wolves and even a pot-bellied big.

Dale Moore, 49, a Mission Valley resident who attended the expo with her 5-year-old Chinese Crested Maltese, Olive, bagged freebies and bought a pink-and-black lace harness. The duo also visited the Art of Fur grooming booth, where Olive received a complimentary hair color treatment.

Here are five of the more unusual pet attractions attendees can check out at this year’s expo.

Extreme fetch for Fido

San Diego-based HurriK9 is using the expo to debut its new launcher, a patented dog toy that slings a custom foam ring up to 120 feet.

Invented by John Hunter of Escondido, the HurriK9 launcher looks like a super-sized version of a child’s Nerf guy toy, and should prove amusing for both dog and owner. The far-fetched thrower, which is said to appeal to dogs of all sizes and serve as the ultimate Frisbee, is also easy on the arms (no tossing required), meaning those with shoulder injuries can get back to playing games of fetch with their furbabies.

HurriK9 costs $35 and includes the launcher and three rings. The product, on display and up for raffle at the company’s booth, is not yet available to the general public.

The company will begin selling its launcher through a Kickstarter campaign, slated to go live in two weeks, said Jeff Lieber, co-founder.

A zoo that comes to you

A giant, hissing cockroach may not sound like an inviting party favor, but it would sure give your guests an interesting photo opp.

The cockroach, along with a number of other feathered, furry, scaled or creepy-crawly creatures can make an appearance at your next soiree thanks to San Diego-based company Zovargo, which is showcasing a sampling of its animal kingdom at the expo.

“You’re not going to get this close to animals at the zoo unless you’re paying hundreds of dollars,” said Amanda Plante, Zovargo’s founder.

The local business, which is based in Mission Valley, aims to offer a hands-on, educational experience to kids and adults around the county. For $200, Zovargo will bring up to seven animals of your choosing to your home or office — and reptiles, mammals, bugs and birds of prey are all fair game.

The company hopes its intimate encounters help people of all ages develop a greater appreciation for animals, said Plante, who also works for the Navy.

Zovargo is offering expo-goers a discounted rate of $99, which includes an hour-and-a-half with the company’s critters.

Not-so-smelly cat boxes

Stinky litter boxes can be a thing of the past if StovePipeCat’s Awesome Almost Invisible Cat Litter works as advertised.

Developed by Oceanside residents Eric and Lori Grushkin, the unique cat litter is sand-like, white and unscented. The litter promises to eliminate all kitty created odors for up to four weeks. And customers need only use 1 inch of litter per tray, Mr. Grushkin said.

StovePipeCat’s Awesome Almost Invisible Cat Litter is sold online, with a 9-pound bag costing $28.50 (or $25 at the expo). The cat litter is also available at 20 high-end brick-and-mortar pet stores, though none have locations in the San Diego region just yet.

Picture this

Dogs love balls. People love selfies.

Pooch Selfie aims to make both audiences happy with a smartphone accessory, on sale at the expo, that should make for more successful photo shoots.

The product, which consists of a squeaking tennis ball and cellphone attachment, retails online for $13 and is meant to provide people with a simple and cheap way to hold a dog’s gaze.

Pooch Selfie creator Jason Hernandez and his wife, who live in Golden Hill, were inspired by daily photo ops with their rescue dog. The couple would hold up a standard tennis ball to get their pup’s attention, but found the makeshift solution proved too challenging when trying to hold both the phone and the ball at the same time.

The product started as a Kickstarter project and raised nearly $40,000 from backers who pledged funds to see the selfie accessory come to life. Pooch Selfie’s cellphone attachment is patent-pending, Hernandez said, but that hasn’t prevented copycats from trying to go after the picture-perfect pet market.

A fitness machine for pudgy pooches

Chubby canines can slim down on DogPacer, a portable treadmill designed just for dogs.

The fitness apparatus, available for test workouts at the expo, can also act as an indoor diversion for pups who can’t leave the house during extreme weather conditions. The device, with a size and width tailored for Bowwow, features a quiet motor and customized running programs.

The DogPacer treadmill is available in two versions and sold exclusively online. The $479 model works for dogs weighing up to 55 pounds, while the $499 unit is collapsible and made for dogs weighing up to 179 pounds.