To begin, I love animals and love zoos. I mean, I...

To begin, I love animals and love zoos. I mean, I feel bad that the animals are in captivity and all, but, as a person that lived in Africa, I'm also quite happy they're not just roaming around in the open. So, with this said, I never visit a city without trying to squeeze in a trip to the zoo.

To begin, the Austin Zoo and Animal Sanctuary isn't your traditional zoo. If you're looking for exotic fancy animals in concrete enclosures with electric fences, go to a big city. You ain't gonna find that here. This zoo is mostly a sanctuary for local animals that have had a rough life. With that being said, you can find exotic animals here too, just not a lot of them.

All of the animals found here whether domestic or exotic were owned by someone in the states and they were either abused, mistreated, or simply a bad idea for a pet. Oh, and there are a few 4H animals that were donated once the owner went off to college. I personally loved the enclosures as I am sooooo tired of seeing animals hanging out on a concrete slab. Plus, the enclosures don't have a giant moat between the fence and the animal habitat. You can get real close and personal with the animals (provided that they feel like spending time with you).

This was one of the most enjoyable experiences at a zoo that I have ever had.