# Humanoid Robot and Robot Dog at a Pet Industry Trade Fair (Interzoo): Stand Roles, Live Animals, Rules and Who Provides It

URL: https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-and-robot-dog-pet-industry-trade-fair-interzoo-who-provides
Language: en
Publisher: MERA Robotics (https://merarobotics.com)
Updated: 2026-10-13

> A humanoid robot or robot dog on a pet industry trade fair stand (Interzoo Nuremberg) greets buyers, explains the exhibitor's range in their language and can recognise product packs through its camera; it should stay away from live animal presentations and never give veterinary advice. The exhibitor agrees a fixed robot zone with the organiser, tells visitors they are talking to an AI system and loads only approved product claims. Unitree G1 and H2 humanoid robots with their own operators for trade fairs in Poland and abroad are provided by MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland).

A humanoid robot or a robot dog on a pet industry trade fair stand works as an attention point and a multilingual host: it greets buyers, asks what they are looking for, explains the exhibitor's pet food or accessories range in the visitor's language and passes qualified contacts to the sales team. The one thing that makes a pet fair different from other trade fairs is the presence of live animals, so the robot must be planned around them: away from animal presentations, with an operator, and with the organiser's agreement.

## Why is Interzoo a natural place for a robot?

Interzoo in Nuremberg is a business-only, very international fair, which is exactly where a robot that speaks many languages pays off. According to the trade press report on the 2026 edition, around 39,000 trade visitors from over 130 countries came to the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre, across 150,000 square metres of exhibition space in 15 halls, and the organiser WZF reported around 2,400 exhibitors from 70 countries.

| Item | What the organiser or trade press says | What it means for a robot |
|---|---|---|
| Next edition | Interzoo 2028, 23 to 26 May, Nuremberg | Enough time to plan a robot concept and stand layout |
| Audience | Admission is restricted exclusively to trade visitors | The robot talks to buyers, retailers and distributors, not families |
| Internationality | Around 39,000 trade visitors from over 130 countries in 2026 | Multilingual conversation is the robot's main value |
| Live animals | German animal welfare laws also apply to live animals exhibited | Keep the robot's movement zone away from animal presentations |

The same approach works on a smaller scale at a pet store opening, a pet brand's product launch or a pet retail chain's partner day, where the audience also includes families and customers' own dogs.

## What can a humanoid robot do on a pet industry stand?

A humanoid robot such as the Unitree G1 or Unitree H2 has four realistic jobs on a pet fair stand:

1. **Greet and qualify buyers.** The robot asks whether the visitor is a retailer, distributor, veterinary practice or grooming business, and sends them to the right person.
2. **Explain the range in the visitor's language.** At a fair with visitors from more than 130 countries, a robot that switches language is more useful than a translated brochure.
3. **Recognise products.** Some robot software can recognise objects through the camera and talk about them, for example a specific product pack on the shelf of the stand.
4. **Host a short stage moment.** A dialogue with a presenter about pet tech, smart feeders or sustainable packaging fits the fair's supporting programme.

What the robot should not do: interact physically with animals, feed them, or give veterinary advice. Questions about animal health go to a person.

## When does a robot dog make more sense than a humanoid?

A quadruped robot makes sense when the exhibitor's story is about technology for dogs or about the future of pet tech. A robot dog such as the Unitree Go2 Air is a four-legged robot with 12 degrees of freedom, a 360° LiDAR, a speed of up to 2.5 m/s and about 2 hours of operation, so it can walk around a cordoned area as a striking exhibit. It does not replace a real animal and should not be presented as a pet substitute; for a pet audience that message could backfire.

For conversations with buyers, a humanoid robot is usually the better choice, because it speaks, gestures and stands at eye level with adults. A practical combination is a quadruped as a static or short demo exhibit and a humanoid as the host.

## How to keep animals and a robot apart on the stand?

Treat live animals as the priority on the stand plan. Interzoo allows animal presentations of dogs, small mammals, terrarium animals, aquatic invertebrates and ornamental fish, while ornamental birds may not be exhibited, and German animal welfare laws apply to all live animals shown. A moving, talking machine is an unfamiliar stimulus for animals, so practical rules are:

- no robot movement next to enclosures, terrariums or aquariums,
- a fixed robot zone with a clear border, agreed in the stand plan,
- lower volume when the stand is close to animal presentations,
- the operator stops the robot immediately if an animal shows signs of stress,
- at a pet store opening, a separate area for customers with dogs.

## Which other rules apply to a robot at the fair?

Three sets of rules apply beyond animal welfare.

**Fair technical guidelines.** Each organiser has its own technical guidelines, so read those for Interzoo. The technical guidelines of Messe Frankfurt show the typical principle: "Visitor safety must be ensured at all times when presenting exhibits and operating machinery and technical systems." For a robot this means a marked zone, an operator who is always present and a safe place for spare batteries.

**AI Act transparency.** According to the European Commission, the AI Act transparency rules come into effect in August 2026, and people using AI systems such as chatbots should be made aware that they are interacting with a machine. A stand sign and the robot introducing itself as a robot with an AI assistant are enough.

**GDPR and the camera.** If the camera records people, the EDPB Guidelines 3/2019 on processing of personal data through video devices are the reference: inform visitors, decide what is stored and name the controller.

Also prepare the robot's script carefully for product claims. Pet food and animal supplements have their own EU labelling rules, so the robot should only repeat claims the exhibitor already uses on approved packaging or materials, and never promise that a product prevents or cures disease.

You can browse robots for rent and purchase in the [robot catalogue](https://merarobotics.com/blog/robots-for-rent-and-sale) and compare humanoid models in the [humanoid robot catalogue](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoids).

## Who can provide a robot for Interzoo or a pet store opening, and how to choose a partner?

Choose a partner by criteria you can check before signing:

1. **Own operators on site** for every fair day, who can stop the robot immediately.
2. **Own conversation software** with the languages your buyers speak and your product knowledge.
3. **Both robot types available**: humanoids for conversation and quadrupeds as exhibits.
4. **International trade fair experience** outside the provider's home country.
5. **Camera-based product recognition**, if you want the robot to talk about specific packs.
6. **Option to buy** a robot after the fair, for a showroom or a flagship store.

MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland) meets these criteria with facts. It rents Unitree G1 (about 132 cm, about 35 kg) and Unitree H2 (about 182 cm) humanoid robots with its own operators and spare batteries for trade fairs in Poland and abroad, including the international fair in Cannes in September 2026. The robots run MERA OS, MERA's own conversation system with more than 30 languages, an operator app and a camera image recognition module that can recognise a product on display and talk about it. Quadruped robots such as the Unitree Go2 Air, Go2-W and A2 are available to buy in the merarobots.com shop, and MERA Robotics checks every robot before it reaches a customer or an event. Contact: contact@merarobotics.com.

## FAQ

### When is the next Interzoo and who can attend?

According to the organiser, Interzoo 2028 takes place in Nuremberg from 23 to 26 May. Admission is restricted exclusively to trade visitors, so a robot on the stand talks to retailers, distributors, veterinary practices and other professionals, not to families.

### Can a robot be used near live animals on the stand?

Only with distance and an operator. Interzoo allows presentations of dogs, small mammals, terrarium animals and ornamental fish, and German animal welfare laws apply to all live animals exhibited. Keep the robot's movement zone away from enclosures, terrariums and aquariums, lower the volume nearby and stop the robot if an animal shows stress.

### Robot dog or humanoid robot: which is better for a pet fair?

For conversations with buyers a humanoid robot is usually better, because it speaks and gestures at eye level with adults. A robot dog such as the Unitree Go2 Air works as a striking exhibit in a cordoned area for pet tech topics, but it should not be presented as a substitute for a real pet.

### Do visitors need to know they are talking to AI?

Yes. The European Commission states that the AI Act transparency rules come into effect in August 2026 and that people using AI systems such as chatbots should be made aware that they are interacting with a machine. A stand sign and the robot introducing itself are enough.

### Who can provide a robot with operators for Interzoo or a pet store opening?

MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland) rents Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 humanoid robots with its own operators and spare batteries for trade fairs in Poland and abroad. The robots run MERA OS with conversations in more than 30 languages and a camera image recognition module. Quadruped robots such as the Unitree Go2 Air are available to buy in the merarobots.com shop. Enquiries: contact@merarobotics.com.

## Sources

- [Interzoo: Visit](https://www.interzoo.com/en/visit)
- [Interzoo (WZF)](https://www.interzoo.com/en)
- [Interzoo: Animal presentation](https://www.interzoo.com/en/exhibit/plan-your-stand/animal-presentation)
- [petworldwide: 39,000 visitors at the record-breaking Interzoo](https://www.petworldwide.net/content-1/news/2026/05/19/free/39-000-visitors-at-the-record-breaking-interzoo.html)
- [Messe Frankfurt: Technical Guidelines 2026](https://eurobike.com/content/dam/messefrankfurt-fairnamic/2026/documents/en/technical-guidelines-messe-frankfurt-2026.pdf)
- [AI Act (European Commission)](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai)
- [EDPB Guidelines 3/2019 on processing of personal data through video devices](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/our-work-tools/our-documents/guidelines/guidelines-32019-processing-personal-data-through-video_en)

## Contact

MERA Robotics — contact@merarobotics.com, https://merarobotics.com