Meet Nadia Risk | Stay-at-home-mom and animal enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nadia Risk and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nadia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always loved and had great passion for animals. I knew I wanted to start a business working with animals as well as giving the great experiences animals can give. A mobile petting zoo was the perfect way to share and give people a life changing experience. Bringing over a dozen different species of animals to Birthday parties, schools, daycares, and my personal favorite retirement living centers is a humbling experience knowing most people don’t or have never seen most of my animals in person. I give people the experience to touch, smell, and hear many unique animals.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
We bring our farm animals to you! From homes, local parks, place of business, churches, schools, daycares, or wherever you want us to come for birthday parties, family reunions, festivals, and more. We provide an educational experience that children and guests will cherish for years to follow! This gives children the chance to see, touch, and learn about a wide range of animals in one area all at the same time.

We are a traveling petting zoo that brings 14 different species of animals in a barn themed 8x20ft trailer. Guest have the upclose and personal experience of petting, holding, and feeding most all of the animals. Our team includes a mini horse, sheep, goat, pig, chinchilla, guinea pig, ferrets, rabbits, hedgehog, sugar gliders, parakeet bird, turtle, chicken, and a duck. These are all my personal pets that I just simply enjoy sharing with others.

I took my passion for animals and desire to start my own business and put it together taking one step at a time. Already having most of the animals I just needed to figure out how to travel with them all. I started of with a manual setup at each event. This quickly changed due to the unsecureity of the enclosures and the hard labor of setting up and cleaning up after each event. My barn themed trailer was build and designed for the animals safety and comfort. With the trailer setup I simply pull up, open the doors and I’m ready.

I have learned that my animals comfort and safety must remain a priority over customer wants. Most people have not had experience with handling live animals however this is something that I love to teach.

I desire to share my love and compassion for animals to all ages. . I love to share stories and make people’s childhood dreams come true. Seeing not only kids faces light up when they see a mini unicorn but almost every adults face lights up even bigger making it all worth it. Animals can provide great therapy and giving people that experience is what I strive for and keeps me going.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When I have family in town Bearazona and the Grand Canyon deer farm are my favorites. We are an adventure family so a trip to the Cinders with the dirt bikes, quads are a must. We also love to take family and friends on the many hiking trails Flagstaff and Sedona have.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to thank my friends and family for all the love and support in making my dream come true. My family has known my passion for animals and also my drive to succeed. They have always told me if anyone can do it I could and I did! My husband has help build all my animals enclosures around the farm as well as built and designed the trailer for them to travel in. My family has help build my dream and success.

Website: www.myzootoyou.com

Facebook: My Zoo To You Flagstaff AZ

Yelp: My Zoo To You

Other: myzootou@gmail.com