Q. How long have you been doing this? meaning, "How long have you had an interest in animals?"
A. As long as I can remember.
Q. How long have you been doing this? meaning, "How long have you had exotic animals?"
A. When I was about 8 years old, my dad saw an ad in a magazine like Field and Stream for chipmunks. He ordered two for me. I think they were my earliest exotic animals. Since then, I've had a vulpine phalanger (he was in our second-hand store and I wasn't really supposed to handle him, but I did -- I was in Junior High). My dad brought home pigeons for me and built a great coop -- I was the only fourth grader who had any. I've had a jack-rabbit -- he wasn't around long. My dad brought him home and he got loose after a few days. A neighbor guy brought me a squirrel he had caught -- but it was an adult and my dad made me let him go since he worried about rabies. David brought home a tarantula and rats that he found while working for Parks and Rec -- he knew the way to his girl's heart -- we watched them for a few days and took them out into the woods and let them go. I had ferrets before people knew much about them -- one because he was found at a truck stop by the Sheriff's office and I was the only person they knew who had one (I worked for the Arizona Highway Patrol), and I had a raccoon (it was like living in a Disney film since she had the run of our trailer house -- David does love me). So, for half a century I've had 'exotic' animals.
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| A picture from the Internet, since I couldn't find one of Sam. Some day I will organize photos -- but we didn't take as many in those days, so maybe this will be the closest I get... |
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| My raccoon, Desi, and me. |
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| Desi with our puppy, Tewa. Desi had her own room with a pool! |
Q. How long have you been doing this? meaning, "How long have you been showing animals?"
A. Well, I took my chipmunks to the Kid's Day Parade and got a trophy for the smallest pets. Another year I took my dog and rabbit -- my dog pushed the rabbit in a stroller -- I got a trophy for the most unique animal act (expectations weren't very high obviously). I took my favorite pigeon to school to show how she could find her way home. She embarrassed me by hanging around the school yard all day. She did eventually show up at home (we lived outside of town). I took my raccoon to my mom's school and to several classrooms -- the kids wouldn't listen, scared her, I was bit, and we moved outside to an area with a pond that I could keep between us and the kids -- then we were fine. My raccoon also went to the Science Museum in Roanoke with me a few times. She would do tricks for marshmallows and I would talk about what it was like to live with a raccoon -- again, think Disney film with cupboards emptied and wild animal bloated by all she consumed when you left the house -- or having to take the door off the hinges because she'd locked herself into the bathroom and couldn't get out. And I've taken my parrots to several classrooms and to church classes. And my therapy dog and I visited places for about 4 years. So, again, I guess for half a century (wow! I am soooo old!).
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| Hard to read, but it says: East Flag Kids Day Parade 1964 Kathy & Julie Banning Smallest Pet: Chipmunk |
Q. How long have you been doing this? meaning, "How long have you been in business?"
A. We got our LLC in 2009, but our conditional use permit took a long time to go through, so we've been booking events since 2010. That doesn't sound very long, but I've been 'doing this' for a long time! Now, instead of having one or two animals that I take around for friends or family, I have 45-50 animals that need to be fed and vetted. When you hire us, you help us feed and get medical care for our animals -- animals that people get to enjoy as much as I do -- and they don't have to feed them, clean cages, and have the vet visit (not to mention the USDA Inspector). I've always been happy to share my animals with others and I'm grateful for those of you who help me to do it!
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