Get To Know Us!
The members of VAOA are animal owners from across Virginia. We came together because we love our animals and value our way of life. We own traditional pets, farm animals, and even zoo animals. We believe in the positive work animal owners are doing throughout the State. We want to encourage their efforts and nurture an environment for future owners who are ready to learn. We hope to inspire the next generation to make animals a part of their lives.
The members of VAOA are animal owners from across Virginia. We came together because we love our animals and value our way of life. We own traditional pets, farm animals, and even zoo animals. We believe in the positive work animal owners are doing throughout the State. We want to encourage their efforts and nurture an environment for future owners who are ready to learn. We hope to inspire the next generation to make animals a part of their lives.
Making A Difference For Animals
Animal owners across Virginia are making a difference in the lives of their animals. Puff the Camel arrived at Fort Chiswell Animal Park in 2008 after leaving a neglectful situation. His humps were depleted of their fat reserves, he was severely underweight, and he wanted nothing to do with people! Keepers had to wear their raincoats when they fed him because Puff would angrily spit on anyone who came near him.
After months of care, his attitude improved, he gained his weight back, and his humps started to stand straight again. In his years at the zoo, he has become a park favorite with children and adults. Puff's life was transformed because of Virginia animal owners who cared.
Inspiring The Next Generation
Fort Chiswell Animal Park offers an internship program to both high school and college students. Interns get to experience what it's like to be a zoo keeper. Interns are taught animal handling skills and get to be involved with the feeding of certain species. They learn about animal housing and participate in exhibit cleaning. Through their time at the zoo, they get to develop special relationships with the animals and
make memories they'll never forget.
Interns also learn first-hand about captive breeding and herd management and often get the opportunity to participate in the zoo's fallow deer fawn tagging program. Fallow deer are State regulated and must be identified by an ear tag. The staff of Fort Chiswell Animal Park are proud to raise these beautiful deer and enjoy sharing them with the public. Staff endeavor to give students valuable animal experiences that will help them in choosing a career path.
Preserving Endangered species
Debbie Mogensen is a member of VAOA. As Co-Director of Natural Bridge Zoo, Debbie oversees the care of a wide variety of animals from all over the world. One of Debbie's proudest achievements is her success in breeding and raising cassowaries. These massive birds weigh approximately 130 pounds and are members of the ostrich family. They are endangered in the wild and have proved difficult to raise in zoos. In 2015, only 15 cassowary chicks were hatched in the United States. Of those chicks, 12 of them were hatched by Debbie at Natural Bridge Zoo.
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Since 2008, Debbie has successfully incubated and raised over 80 cassowary chicks. She has averaged 12 to 14 chicks a year for the past 10 years. Debbie is involved 100% with her cassowaries and provides routine care in feeding, cleaning and monitoring of the adult birds. According to her husband, Karl, Debbie is the reason for the zoo's successful breeding program. Many of the young birds go on to be involved in other breeding efforts, including at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk.
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Bringing Families Together
Members of VAOA established the Southwest Virginia Fall Fun Horse Show in Wythe County, Virginia in the fall of 2019. Show planners want to get kids and adults outside and bring families together with some good family fun. Classes are offered in halter, English, Western, and driving for both children and adults. (Photo courtesy of Becky Pearman.)