Zoo - Zoom's Sanctuary is a private facility. Due to staffing and safety concerns, we are not open to the public on a drop-in basis at any time for any reason. We do conduct pre-scheduled tours as a fund-raising activity.
Admission
for all tours is $10 per person, all ages, payable at time of booking a
reservation for the tour. All donations collected from tours are used for the
care and feeding of animals. This is a donation and there are no refunds of
donations if you cancel or are a no-show.
Tour
Days/Times/Details:
§
One-hour tours
are held on Weekdays, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., weather permitting. (Other
times may be considered)
§
If we need to
cancel a tour because of an animal emergency or due to weather, we will re-book
your tour. Please call 337-845-5124 or email
to register to participate in a tour.
§
The minimum
tour-group size is ten people, contributing a total minimum donation of $100.
Smaller size groups can go on tours, but the total donation required will still
be $100. Maximum tour-group size is 20 people (with a $10 donation per person).
Frequently
Asked Questions
Question:
Is there a
place to relax and/or picnic during or after our tour?
Answer:
We are sorry to say no. We can only conduct guided tours and must be with
visitors at all times, for both your safety and the safety of the animals.
Please remember this is not a park, this is a private facility. Visitors cannot
stay and picnic or wander around. Many of the animals roam free on the property.
The USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) prohibits us from allowing any food or
drinks on the property. Their regulation stipulates: “No food or beverages
allowed. In addition, smoking, carrying toys, and use of pacifiers, spill-proof
cups (sippy cups), baby bottles, shall not be permitted.”
Question:
We don’t want an official tour. We just want to come walk around on our
own to see the animals, take pictures, etc. Is that OK?
Answer:
Unfortunately no. For the reasons stated in the answer above, the
Sanctuary is not open to the general public for recreational purposes.
Question:
If I surrender my pet to Zoo - Zoom’s Sanctuary, may I come and visit
it?
Answer:
Due to the sheer number of abandoned and or owner surrendered animals
living at the Sanctuary, we cannot accommodate visits by former owners. We have
no employees on site to handle non-tour visitors. Visitation privileges are not
an option if you want Zoo - Zoom to assume the responsibility for the lifetime
care and feeding of your animal. You can arrange to take a scheduled Tour, and
at that time see how your surrendered pet is doing. Please understand our
position; we are not talking about just your pet, we have over 160 animals
living here.
Question:
I found an injured animal and dropped it off at the Sanctuary. How can I
help?
Answer:
The Sanctuary operates strictly on donations.
It costs us a minimum of $35,000 per year to operate. This figure does not
include any staff salaries or wages, or funds set aside for additional intake of
new animals, nor for the building of new enclosures. Every time a new injured
animal comes in we need to assess its physical injuries, and decide if it
requires a visit to our veterinarian. This takes funds away from our normal,
non-emergency operating budget. We would appreciate your helping out the animal
you brought by sponsoring it. Please ask about our Sponsorship program.
Question:
I only dropped off a baby bird/raccoon/rabbit/sugar glider, etc. It will
quickly grow up and be released or adopted. Taking care of that baby for a few
months doesn’t cost the Sanctuary very much money, does it?
Answer:
Yes,
surprisingly it does. Specialized formula for each type of baby animal is
expensive. Individually, one baby doesn’t make a difference but during the
spring and summer, we get asked to take care of lots
of baby birds, gliders, coons, rabbits, and other small animals. Each baby
requires hourly feedings, day and night, for four to eight weeks. So in addition
to the high cost of baby animal food, there is also a very substantial cost in
human time.
Question:
I’m turning over my expensive exotic bird or other exotic animal to the
Sanctuary. It’s worth quite a bit. Won’t this become an asset for the
Sanctuary?
Answer:
No. At this time, we are caring for, feeding, and providing habitats for
over 50 exotic animals that have been surrendered by their owners. This is very
expensive and time consuming. We do not sell any of the animals who come to live
at the Sanctuary, so the monetary value of your exotic animal is irrelevant to
us. This is a lifetime commitment for us.