Burnsville City Council approves exotic petting zoo for mall amid animal welfare concerns

The Burnsville City Council Tuesday night unanimously approved the necessary permits to open a petting zoo featuring exotic animals at Burnsville C...

August 23, 2023
8:12 PM

The Burnsville City Council Tuesday night unanimously approved the necessary permits to open a petting zoo featuring exotic animals at Burnsville Center, despite concerns from animal rights groups about animal welfare and public safety. The 17,000-square-foot indoor zoo in Burnsville — located in the former Old Navy space — will feature dozens of animals, including kangaroos, alligators, goats, lemurs and capybaras, that visitors pay to pet and feed. The petting zoo, called Sustainable Safari, has operated a location at Maplewood Mall since 2019.

Erin Adler