BASIC Zoo School courses were offered Spring semester 2009 in Frisco and in Rockwall. In order to graduate, each K-4th grade student attended a semester-long series of weekly classes in their community and studied the the taxonomy and behaviors or all the major animal phyla: arthropods, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Each class ended with some hands-on moments with some favorite education animals.

"I liked Zoo School a lot! Although it went by too fast, it was a blast! The homework was even fun!" said Austin Vigil, Rockwall Zoo School graduate, age 9. "The prairie dog was my favorite animal. I like how furry they are and I now know how mean farmers and ranchers are to them," said Jacob Pointer, Frisco Zoo School graduate, age 6, who has graduated from two BASIC Zoo Schools and has already enrolled in one of the new ADVANCED Zoo Schools being offered this Fall.

BASIC Zoo School – Introduction to Zoology is again being offered for Fall semester 2009. Classes for K-4th grade homeschoolers are being held in Rockwall, Frisco and in Aubrey (new) and after-school classes are being held at The Levine Academy (Levine students only) in North Dallas. New for Fall is the launch of ADVANCED Zoo School – Animal Habitats & Conservation, an advanced course for 1st-5th grade students who’ve graduated from BASIC Zoo School or who have had previous exposure to 4th/5th grade-level life science. ADVANCED classes are forming in Little Elm and Frisco for Fall. Class size is limited and registration is already underway (registration forms are available online) and the registration deadline is August 1st, so don’t wait!

Zoo Schools are organized and marketed by volunteer site coordinators, usually parents or school administrators who are eager to bring fun, hands-on life science to their student group. We’d love to bring Zoo School to your community — contact us for all the details.

Are they licensed? Anyone who displays a mammal (something with fur, even a bunny in a magic show), must be licensed by the federal government – it’s called a USDA-APHIS "Class C" Exhibitor’s License. Ask for the performer’s USDA license number to be sure they are following federal animal care standards and that they’re inspected annually by government officials. The license number should be in this format:  ##-C-####. A reputable exhibitor will not be offended – they will be amazed that you care about the animal’s welfare. To confirm they are licensed, go to the USDA-APHIS list of approved exhibitors.  Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, you can now also access their latest federal facilty inspection report, to see if they were in violation of any Animal Welfare regulations. In addition, ask anyone with any animal (not just the furry kind), if they hold the required state, county or city permits for the animals they keep. Again, they shouldn’t hesitate to professionally answer your question. If in doubt, contact the Animal Control office in the city in which they reside, to ask if they hold any needed permits.

Are they insured? Professional animal exhibitors carry at least $1 million in business liability insurance. In today’s litigious society, you should ask for proof of insurance in order to protect yourself. Again, a reputable performer won’t hesitate to send you proof.

How are the animals handled? If you’re able, observe one of their shows. Watch carefully how they handle the animals. Is it done with care? Are the animals’ bodies fully supported? Does the handler insure that the animal can’t risk harm to themselves or to an audience member? "Tailing" a snake (dangling it by the tip of its tail), letting an animal crawl freeing on their body, or wrapping a snake around a kid’s neck, are prime examples of a performer who’s in it for "show" and "scare tactics." This should be a major red flag.

Is there direct audience contact with the animals? Audiences love to touch, so most performers offer some form of limited or controlled touch with animals that pose little to no risk. Watch how the animal is restrained. A professional handler will restrain the animal’s head and offer a spot to touch that is far from teeth and claws. In addition, they should require use of hand sanitizer immediately after direct contact. Ask if they do this. If not, insist that they do. At Zooniversity, we do not allow contact with any animal that could incur harm, we just don’t take chances. We strongly agree with federal recommendations that there should not be direct contact with primates (lemurs, apes, monkeys – even the cute ones in clothes) or with big cats (even those tiny tiger cubs). It is our opinion that doing so is a headline waiting to happen.

What’s their training, expertise and affiliations? Anyone can buy a few animals and make a website. We field many calls from folks with a snake or two that want to know how to do this for a living. Unfortunately, these folks are out there, without licenses, without inspection, without insurance, and without the foggiest notion about animal welfare or audience safety. Ask about their education, their training, their practical experience, and their affiliation with professional zoological organizations. By doing your research upfront and asking the right questions, you can feel good about the organization you’ve selected.