Cook's Country Connection — Attraction in Minnesota

We visited this petting zoo yesterday after it was recommended to us by several friends/coworkers. It’s an hour away from our house, so we brought our dog along as the day was cool enough for him to be in the car and we were going to be doing other things in the area while we were over there. As this zoo had been recommended to me, I didn’t do any research (go on their website/etc) prior to going that morning. It turns out that they ask that you do not bring pets, but we didn’t know this prior to arriving and literally being inside the petting zoo (I actually didn’t see this rule posted until we were leaving—it was in the port-a-potty.) Regardless, it was an honest mistake on our part and not intended to be malicious or rebellious in any way.

Midway on our tour through the petting zoo, the owner approached us abruptly and was extremely belittling, demeaning, and frankly borderline threatening. She actually made me cry with how scolding she was and how she spoke to us about having to dog along, and how we should have known ahead of time that they aren’t allowed to even be in the vehicles in the parking area. It was honestly hard to believe that the owner of a business would speak to customers that way vs trying to have a conversation/find out what had happened. (She wasn’t there when we first arrived)

Personally, because of this, I had a terrible experience at this zoo. It’s unfortunate, as I had heard great things about this place. The reason I’m giving it any stars at all is because the employee, Marci, was incredibly kind and amazing—she stepped in to give my kids a wonderful experience, despite the other circumstances. The zoo itself is, of course, full of cute and cuddly animals and my kids had a fun time. I’m just happy that they are so young that they were enthralled with the animals vs understanding what...

I have had the privilege of volunteering at Cook’s Country Connection for four summers. It is my “home away from home,” and the people and critters who work and live there have become family to me. I absolutely love to watch people stop by and interact with our sweet (spoiled) animals. Please remember that this is their home, and be kind and gentle when you are around them. We have a wonderful variety of animals who would like to meet you, including our Livestock Guardian Dogs who will greet you as you arrive. They are working dogs, so please leave your fur-babies home. Although they are very friendly dogs, their job is to drive off predators from the farm, and all other dogs (even the tiny ones!) are predators in their eyes. (They know that our sheep are afraid of EVERYTHING!) We need our animals to feel safe. They mean the world to us. When you come to see us, we always want you to look forward to your next visit. If you have any questions, we will be happy to find the answers for you! I hope you are able to come and experience the joy that I have whenever I am...

So my SO and I camped here for a night. A truly unique experience great for those fascinated by animals.

While you're camping you will be visited by very polite animal friends. We will never forget Loki and Luca the baby Yaks that hung out with us around the campfire. When you wake up you can even help out around the farm for a bit if that appeals to you (it does to me!).

Lois, Jill, and Nancy were so knowledgeable about the animals. If you're curious about the nitty gritty of raising livestock, they will spare no details. Keep in mind, there is a lot of poop to watch out for, so recommend wearing your less expensive...