Animal Planet and Cox Invite Providence-Area Residents and Their Pets to Join in Free Fun When Animal Planet Expo Rolls into Town Saturday June 7 and Sunday June 8 at Goddard Memorial State Park

Animal Planet and Cox Invite Providence-Area Residents and Their Pets to Join in Free Fun When Animal Planet Expo Rolls into Town Saturday June 7 and Sunday June 8 at Goddard Memorial State Park

- A Free Event with Interactive Exhibits and Games Offers Excitement for the Whole Family, Including the Furry Companions! -

PROVIDENCE, R.I., May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Animal lovers of all ages have been flocking to ANIMAL PLANET EXPO, now in its 11th year, to celebrate and support the connection between people and animals. The award winning traveling summer tour has entertained, educated and inspired over one million people; stopping in cities all across the country and this year is no different! Animal Planet and Cox, plus national sponsors the makers of Fresh Step(R) litter and Purina(R) and local sponsors Balise Chevrolet of Warwick and National Grid, invite everyone in the family, including the family pet, to explore the wonder of wildlife, celebrate the important role animals play on this planet and to enjoy the experience that is ANIMAL PLANET EXPO. ANIMAL PLANET EXPO comes to Providence on Saturday June 7 and Sunday June 8 from 10 AM to 4 PM at Goddard Memorial State Park, 1095 Ives Road, Warwick, RI.

This year's EXPO will showcase exciting new attractions like the 30 foot long inflatable "King Croc" slide, all the while promoting animal welfare.

ANIMAL PLANET EXPO enchants and entertains people nationwide, featuring such spectacular attractions as fur-raising stunts from high-flying Frisbee dogs, breathtaking exotic live animal presentations, and twists on classic games such as Pin the Tail on the Puppy and Plink-o. Held in the center of the venue, Frisbee dog show times are 11 AM, 12:30 PM, 2 PM and 3:30 PM, but make sure to get there early to participate in the Planet Green Frisbee toss! Also held in the center of the grounds are live exotic animal presentations on the R.O.A.R Stage, bringing some of the world's most striking animals, including pythons, vultures, and kinkajous, will take place at 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 1 PM and 2:30 PM.

New to this year's EXPO, are some pet-friendly features so Fido can join in on the fun too! Take some time to play with your furry friends at the Purina(R) Dog Park full of fun activities for dogs of all kinds.

ANIMAL PLANET EXPO is bringing back R.O.A.R with a new twist. This summer EXPO invites all guests to R.O.A.R. for Saving the Planet, a simple yet effective way for event attendees to show their support and help be a spokesperson for the well being of animals and our planet. R.O.A.R is Animal Planet's nonprofit animal advocacy partnership with leading animal organizations that encourages people to Reach Out, Act, and Respond in helping to make the world a better place for animals. Promises can be as simple as putting aside time everyday to play with the family pet, promoting conservation, or supporting a favorite wildlife foundation. Also back by popular demand is the impressive R.O.A.R Stage boasting a 16'x19' LCD video screen giving all event attendees the chance to watch anything and everything going on at EXPO no matter where they are on the grounds.

Also returning to this year's tour is the Pet Den, a wonderland of information sponsored by the makers of Fresh Step(R) litter. The makers of Fresh Step(R) litter and Providence Animal Rescue League will provide pet adoption opportunities and helpful information on how to find the perfect pet for your family in addition to hosting "Ask the Vet" sessions, where pet owners can meet one-on-one with local veterinarian to ask pet-related questions.

Another not-to-be-missed attraction at this year's EXPO is the HD Dome giving visitors the opportunity to experience firsthand the clarity of high- definition programming from Discovery's family of HD networks including Discovery Channel HD, TLC HD, Animal Planet HD, Science Channel HD, Planet Green HD and HD Theater.

Other activity pavilions to go wild for at ANIMAL PLANET EXPO include the following:

-- Animal House -- Get to know even more live animals, while animal
experts introduce exotic species from around the world.
-- Safari Snaps -- Download the ultimate digital photo of you with a
virtual version of Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin and Dave Salmoni.
-- Bug House -- Find out what all the buzz is about. Discover the world
of bugs and butterflies, and check out the incredible life-size ant
farm.
-- Kids' Zone -- Transform your kids into animals with wildlife face
painting, try the "Happy Gator" obstacle course, or brave a new
addition to this year's EXPO, "King Croc," an inflatable crocodile
slide that is over 30 feet long.
-- Heroes of Animal Planet -- Protect your pet just as the stars of ANIMAL
PRECINCT do by creating your own personalized pet tag.
-- Connection Zone -- Spin the wheel or toss a bean bag for prizes, as
well as experience the latest products and take advantage of special
offers from COX.
-- Spider Mountain -- Climb to new heights on one of EXPO's most popular
attractions, the 20 foot high eco-friendly attraction is one of a kind.
-- Pet Misters and Watering Holes -- Let your pets "chill out" and quench
their thirst on a hot day at the Pet Misters and Watering Holes
provided by Petfinder.com.

Cox will also be on-site to provide valuable information about their most innovative new products available to consumers.

Check your local listings for Animal Planet on Cox.

Go to http://animal.discovery.com/features/expo/expo.html to find more information on ANIMAL PLANET EXPO.

About Cox Communications

Cox Communications is a multi-service broadband communications and entertainment company with more than six million total residential and commercial customers. The third-largest cable television company in the United States, Cox offers an array of advanced digital video, high-speed Internet and telephony services over its own nationwide IP network, as well as integrated wireless services in affiliation with Sprint (NYSE:S). Cox Business is a full-service, facilities-based provider of communications solutions for commercial customers, providing high-speed Internet, voice and long distance services, as well as data and video transport services for small to large- sized businesses. Cox Media offers national and local cable advertising in traditional spot and new media formats, along with promotional opportunities and production services. Cox Communications wholly owns and operates the Travel Channel. More information about the services of Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com, www.coxbusiness.com, and www.coxmedia.com.

About Purina(R)

Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A., the world's largest food company.

About Fresh Step(R) litter

Fresh Step(R) litter is a part of The Clorox Pet Products Company, a subsidiary of The Clorox Company, headquartered in Oakland, Calif. Clorox is a leading manufacturer and marketer of consumer products with fiscal year 2007 revenues of $4.8 billion. With 7,600 employees worldwide, the company manufactures products in two dozen countries and markets them in more than 100 countries. For more information about Clorox, visit www.TheCloroxCompany.com. For more information about Fresh Step(R) litter, visit freshstep.com.

About Animal Planet Media Enterprises

The world's leading animal entertainment brand, Animal Planet reaches 300 million households in more than 160 countries worldwide with programming customized in 24 languages. In the United States, Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, connects humans and animals with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 94 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; PetsIncredible, a major producer and distributor of pet-training videos and includes web service PetVideo.com; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: ANIMAL PLANET EXPO

CONTACT: Jennifer Abbrecht of Animal Planet Expo, +1-240-662-3821; or
Amy Quinn of Cox, +1-401-615-1185

Web site:

http://www.animalplanet.com/
http://www.cox.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Members of the press interested in attending ANIMAL PLANET EXPO who would like to obtain more information or interview ANIMAL PLANET EXPO staff or talent onsite should contact Jennifer Abbrecht.

-------
Profile: intent