County fair to feature animal birthing center
Visit cows, goat and mini-donkey

The Ventura County Fair this year features a birthing and education center as well as newborn piglets and lambs.

At the birthing and education center are a cow with her calf, a miniature donkey and an angora goat. More ewes are scheduled to give birth during the fair. A laying hen display features freshly laid eggs and the opportunity to watch eggs in an incubator start to hatch.

Sheep shearing and wool spinning are presented daily, and children can participate in a craft project using wool. An interactive activity about the foods animals eat is also offered.

Another highlight of the fair will be the Humane Society of Ventura County's "donating centers"- stand-alone kiosks. People can make donations to the society at these stands. This is the first time these kiosks have been used for nonprofit solicitations in California.

The kiosks will have links to the Humane Society website for people to see pictures of animals currently ready for adoption. If someone sees a pet they are interested in, they can email directly to the shelter in Ojai and begin the adoption review process. Those who wish to help the society continue 75 years of service to the county can make a donation via credit or debit card.

This is the first test of the donating centers for nonprofit groups. "If the first group of kiosks are successful, there are plans to expand to more locations," said Jeff Kroll of JDK Enterprises Inc., the creator of the kiosk.

For more details on the kiosk, call Kroll at (805) 640-8128. For information on the Humane Society, call Kathleen Kaiser at (805) 524-6970.

For more information about the county fair, call (805) 6483376 or visit the website at www.venturacountyfair.org.