FAQs
"Who are we?" ~ Zippity Zoo
is owned and
operated by Shannon Orth. Shannon
has loved animals and teaching others about them ever since she was a young
girl. She is an experienced animal handler
and breeder,
having raised and cared for many species of animals
since youth. For the past 12 years she has been
a wildlife educator for summer camps, schools, youth groups, and many other types
of events. Today,
Shannon is focusing on breeding the animals that she
really enjoys and raising her wonderful daughter,
Micah, who also loves animals and plays an important
role in the day-to-day care of the animals.
"What
animals do we breed?" ~
Currently we enjoy breeding mostly farm animals, such as, Nigerian Dwarf
Goats, Miniature Sheep, Miniature Potbelly Pigs, and Silkie Chickens. We, also,
still breed some exotic or different species of animals, such as, African Pygmy
Hedgehogs and a variety of tortoise and turtle species. We also own other
animals, such as horses, dogs, cats, and a striped skunk, but do NOT breed any
of these animals.
"Where
are we located?"
~ Zippity Zoo is
located about 15 minutes west of the small town of Shelby, NC which is about an
hour west of Charlotte, an hour south of Hickory, an hour east of Asheville, and
an hour north of Greenville, SC. To get online directions to our location,
please use the address listed on the Contact
page.
"When can
you come?"
~ Those who have reserved an animal by deposit or other
confirmation may schedule an appointment to come pick up their new
animal...Anyone wishing to visit for other reasons must also make an
appointment, but those appointment times are very limited...Please read our
Visitation Policies on the Hedgehog Sales
Policies page... PLEASE, DO NOT SHOW UP WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT...YOU
WILL BE TURNED AWAY! We are not a pet store with regular business hours.
"Why
educate about animals?" ~ Zippity
Zoo was created to provide an opportunity for
people of all ages to see, touch, and learn about
a variety of animals. We believe that by learning about
each unique creature people of all ages will gain a deeper appreciation
and understanding of the world beyond our
backdoors, which God has created for us to care
for and enjoy. By getting up close with
animals, negative fears and perceptions about
animals can be replaced with a healthy respect and
acceptance of all life. People often become
more caring and compassionate towards others and
less self-centered as a result of interacting with
animals. Through learning about animals,
young children gain a sense of responsibility
and respect for life ~ two virtues that are
rapidly disappearing from our society. And,
hopefully, by teaching these young learners how to
protect and conserve these amazing animals, they
will be able to enjoy a future filled with the
diversity of nature that will otherwise vanish
completely.
"How safe is it?"
~ Zippity Zoo strives to make each program an extremely positive experience
for each participant and, thus, safety is of great importance. Only
healthy and proven people-friendly animals are brought to programs. All animals are under the direct control of the animal handler at
all times. Most of the animals can be touched...But the animal handler knows the behavior and moods of
each animal, and therefore, has the right to withhold any particular animal from
being shown or touched during any given program. Zippity Zoo is
USDA
inspected and licensed. (Class C Exhibitor license under the Animal
Welfare Act - Certificate #55-C-0158).