Deer Haven Mini Zoo

I was very upset by the things I saw at this «mini zoo». While I liked being able to feed deer, seeing a mountain lion and bear in gross enclosures with dirty water is just unacceptable. It has taken me several weeks to get up the nerve to say something on here, but I really hope that more people take notice. I have nothing against zoos. Please understand this. Keeping animals who would otherwise not survive in the wild does not bother me provided that the people in charge are giving the animals good food and enrichment. Unfortunately the things that I saw here give zoos and responsible exotic pet owners a bad name.

They are operating illegally, after losing their license in January 2015. They have been reported to Big Cat Rescue, PETA, and USDA. The condition the animales are kept in are deplorable, with dirty water in buckets, concrete floors and incredibly small pens. Multiple investigations are currently underway.

What do you expect from a little homemade zoo? It’s pretty great out here with pretty decent amount of animals… the old man himself is a pretty decent and friendly guy…

We just went, like the other reviewer we were pretty sad when we saw the bear. He’s sitting in the middle of a small circular pen, surrounded by piles of feces. The rest of the animals seemed like they were in a bit better condition, with exception of the bobcat, which paced non stop on the roof of his cage. We actually went here because Meadow farm was closed, and we needed another option for my 4 y/​o — I would highly recommend you bring your family there, they are slightly more expensive, but the grounds are clean and safe, and the animals are a million times more fairly ‘enclosed’. The bear alone is enough for me to wonder why there aren’t some better controls over how the animals are treated.

We were shocked at the horrible conditions at this mini zoo. Aren’t there people who inspect these places? The animals looked barely cared for and some looked like they were diseased. The one lone bear in his small cage made us sad. The lion mentioned in the other review has since died. The entire area is unkempt. The toys and equipment in the playground were all filthy. Our advice, stay away. Nothing looks healthy here.

This is a somewhat strange petting zoo off of 194, which is operated by a family on their own property. At $ 6.50 for adults and $ 4 for kids (under 2 are free), It is significantly cheaper than the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo, and easier for small children to handle. There is a booth on the right as you walk in that sometimes has a person inside, but more often not. Leaving money in the box is sometimes on the honor system.
I believe the zoo started as a deer refuge… there are many types of deer in a large fenced-​in area. You can buy a cup of food to feed the deer, goats, and other animals. Wide variety of animals – llamas, lemurs, emus, black bears, a lion, donkeys, a buffalo, bobcat, raccoons, and even capybaras (!). I enjoyed the variety of birds, especially the Asian pheasants and peacocks (regular and albino).
I have seen complaints online about the condition in which the animals are kept, but I do not think it is worse than any other zoo. Animals in cages can always look a little sad… I think this place does the best it can. Kids love it and it is an inexpensive activity near Frederick. They also have a fish pond, some swings, a large wooden bridge for kids to play on, and some other playground equipment, which is a bit rundown but my daughter didn’t mind. If you want something fancier, pay for the Catoctin Zoo.