Families gathered with their pets to learn about how to keep their pets safe on a daily basis and how to  protect them in an emergency.  The event was run in conjunction with the Everyday Heroes: Greenwich First Responders exhibition (now until August 26, 2012 ) and generously sponsored by Chapin Hill Advisors.

Veterinarian Marcus Suppo shared advice on the best ways to keep your pet safe from a health perspective, while Greenwich Emergency Medical Services demonstrated pet first aid and CPR. Bandilane Canine Center showed how the whole family can contribute to raising a well behaved dog, and animal specialist Cathryn Long, a pro used to handling animals under all kinds of circumstances from ad shoots to operas, gave tips on traveling with the family pet and interacting safely with strangers.

Greenwich Police K-9 Unit Officer Mike Macchia and canine "officer" Tyro went through their paces demonstrating how working dogs contribute to the safety of our community. The folks from Adopt-A-Dog were also be on hand to explain how to adopt the right pet for your family.

Kathy Boyle of Chapin Hill Advisors, explained how to delve into the world of pet stewardship with advice on how to plan for pets from a financial perspective, how to prepare your pet sitter to avoid disasters in your absence and how to mitigate the risks of pet ownership (dog bites are the #1 insurance claim on personal liability).

There were pet-related crafts for all ages.