The event is free for zoo members or with paid admission. Children ages three to 11 who bring their stuffed animals will get in for free with a paying adult.

And thanks to our increasingly urban society, "a petting zoo may be the only place where kids are exposed to animals besides cats and dogs," she says. Jayarao agrees. "It would be a shame to see ...

Toys, food, and even recycled Christmas trees can be used as entertainment. The idea is to give the animals a mental challenge or exercise and sharpen skills that aren’t necessarily used in zoo ...