Expo aids GNP Reptile Rescue cause

Parents of children with allergie turning to reptiles as pets; hundreds expected at Sunday show

The city’s only reptile show returns to Peterborough this weekend.

Central Ontario Reptile Expos (CORE) takes place Sunday at the Bakers Hill Banquet Centre at Parkhill and TV roads.

There’ll be more than 20 vendors on hand, selling all things reptile, including the scaled creatures themselves.

Vendors are travelling from Toronto, Kingston, Montreal and Ottawa to take part.

CORE, formerly Peterborough Reptile Show, runs semi-annually, typically in April and October, though it’s been pushed back a little this year.

GNP Reptile Rescue, a local rescue organization, hosts the show and the expo’s proceeds support it.

Gord Perry launched the rescue operation in 2002. Since then, thousands of reptiles have been rescued, rehabilitated and rehomed.

Perry runs the rescue with his wife Carolyn.

“We get so much dropped off, it’s unbelievable,” she said.

The Perry’s started CORE four years ago. They’d been vending at reptile expos in Toronto for years before they decided to start one in their hometown.

The couple also co-own House of Scales in Brookdale Plaza with Jordan Leal. The Chemong Rd. shop opened last year. None of GNP’s reptile rescues go to the store, though. They’re cared for separately until they find their forever homes.

Since opening the store, Carolyn said the turnover of reptiles in stock has been phenomenal.

With many kids these days having allergies to cats and dogs, Carolyn said parents are turning to reptiles as pets.

“They can still get that responsibility of a pet and not worry about their allergies,” she said.

As more people turn to reptiles, the turnout at CORE continues to grow.

In the expo’s first year, about 300 people dropped by.

Carolyn said 500 are expected this year.

And it’s not just reptile lovers who attend. It’s those who’re curious about the creatures, too.

“We get a lot of people in who don’t own anything but just like to look at stuff.”

Reptile wise, Carolyn said there are a lot of snakes at the show, but there’ll also be tortoises, geckos, dragons and lizards.

The expo runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for youth 8 to 16, and kids under 7 are free. Family admission is $10 for two adults and four kids.

CLIFFORD SKARSTEDT EXAMINER Carolyn Perry of GNP Reptile Rescue holds Snakekeeper, a banded python, at the reptile store in Brookdale Plaza on Thursday. House of Scales will be a vendor at the Central Ontario Reptile Expos on Sunday at Bakers Hill Banquet Centre on Sunday.