2019-05-26 ZooTampa at Lowry Park with Jennifer McLachian Vice President of Education at Zoo Tampa. We will be discussing their Autism Friendly Initiatives and other zoo programs.

ZooTampa is an organization that is all inclusive when it comes to individuals with special needs. They have worked with the Center for Autism & Related Disabilities at University of South Florida to become an autism friendly organization. There are social stories available to families at the park and online. The main social story explains the park in its entirety. Then there are specific social stories explaining special experiences such as the petting zoo and how to feed a giraffe. There is even an autism friendly map where families can plan their activities at the park for the day. ZooTampa also works with a Vocational Rehab provider that places individuals with disabilities in jobs at the zoo. Some docents/volunteers are on the autism spectrum. ZooTampa has gone to great lengths for individuals with guide dogs to be able to enjoy the zoo experience. To include training the zoo animals to be comfortable when a guide dog is present. They also have a child care center for children who are 12 months to 5 years old. There are 100 children to include some with disabilities and on the Autism Spectrum. They utilize the positive behavior support program that was developed by the University of South Florida. Their mission is to: Rescue, rehabilitate and care for animals; create exceptional personalized experiences that connect people with wildlife and each other in fun, immersive ways. They truly to do this for everyone!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.