World Pet Expo draws complaints over overcrowding

Attendees cite poor crowd control, stressful venue conditions

The World Pet Expo 2026 drew large crowds to the World Trade Center Metro Manila, with the four-day event also drawing complaints over overcrowding, poor connectivity, and conditions some attendees felt were stressful for pets.

The expo, held from September 24 to 27, featured booths for dogs and cats alongside exhibitors focused on exotic, aquatic, and aviary animals, as well as competitions, activities, and giveaways.

The concerns grew after reports circulated online that a pug allegedly died during the expo on its final day. The circumstances surrounding the reported death were unclear, and there was no immediate indication that the animal’s death was caused by the event or its conditions.

One attendee who visited on Day 3 described the event as “tiring, exhausting, and chaotic,” citing weak mobile internet that made it difficult for customers to pay digitally and for exhibitors to conduct online transactions.

The attendee wrote on social media that the sole ATM outside the venue also went under maintenance late in the afternoon, leaving customers unable to make some purchases after running short on cash.

Another attendee said the volume of people, booth queues, and giveaways created crowding in several areas, with some groups spilling into walkways.

The complaints also raised concerns about pets being brought into an environment filled with noise, crowds, other animals, and limited space.

One attendee said the air conditioning inside the venue appeared unable to keep up with the crowd and claimed to have seen stressed and agitated pets during the event.

The attendee advised pet owners to leave their animals at home, particularly because the event’s conditions could expose them to prolonged heat, noise and crowding.

The alleged death also prompted renewed discussion online about whether pets should be brought to crowded events and what precautions organizers and pet owners should take to keep animals comfortable and safe.

Social media posts also alleged that some attendees had items stolen during the expo, although the claims could not be independently verified.

The event’s official materials instructed attendees to enter through Gate 2 and exit through Gate 1, with the expo running from 10 AM to 7 PM each day.

Attendees said large pet events attract both animal lovers and heavy foot traffic, particularly when free admission, promotions, and giveaways draw even bigger crowds.

Some are calling for tighter crowd management, better venue ventilation, and stronger consideration of whether pets can safely handle the conditions inside the event in future events.

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