If you're an animal lover this place is for you! My MIL takes my kids here regularly, and we finally joined her for a brithday encounter for my son. He turned 10 and wanted to hold the bush baby Benji, it was truly the best day ever for him. He has the encounter with a great staff member, Gina, and also the otter LuLu. Over all the encounters were fantastic, but it is a little slow. It's a sprawling sanctuary for animals. There are dozens of different animals to pet, and look at. Not every cage was open anymore compared to previous visits, so that was sad. It's a hodge podge of sheds, trailers and kennels/fencing for the variety. Again it's not really for me, but I can see the appeal for little kids and the animal lovers. read more

See all

What a disappointment! Drove all the way here today and paid $94 dollars for 6 of us. There was literally not much to look at. 2 cows, a few pigs, a couple goats, chickens and a lama and peacock. No donkeys, No camels, or horses and the list goes on. Seriously a waste of time and money to drive out there for that. My kids actually said to me this place kinda sucks. They have plenty of land to be better. read more

My boyfriend took me here for Valentine's Day and I had the BEST time! He booked us the capybara experience and time with Lulu the Otter. We got 30 minutes with each of them and it was the best hour of my life lol the animals are so cute and friendly. The guide told us all about them and answered all of our questions. You can buy a food bucket filled with lettuce and carrots for $10 and go around and feed the animals. I highly recommend that. A lot of the experiences are $50 each for 30 minutes and 6 people maximum in a group. We lucked out and had the full 30 minutes with Lulu alone. Highly recommend this for any animal lover. General admission is $15. They just ask that you book ahead. I cannot wait to go back. read more

See all

My wife and I stopped in for the behind the gate tour. The staff was very friendly and we really appreciated the overall friendly vibe. We are very thankful this place exists. They have a wide of very friendly, healthy sweet animals. The $15 fee felt like nothing for all the joy we had during our visit. I very much recommend stopping in. read more

I highly recommend this place. We did the sloth experience and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. We were able to see several other parts of the area and pet many of the animals. read more

This is not a petting zoo. Most gates are locked and you have to pay lots for an "experience " if you want to touch any camels etc. And they make you walk the whole area to find out you can't even pet goats. The only areas not locked were the peacocks and cows. To do all the "experiencing " adds up to over 125 bucks. read more

One of the first places my boyfriend and I had been trying to visit was Scatter Joy Acres. I had stumbled upon some pictures of cute animals on Instagram and shared them with him. We tried to head out to their original location a couple of times, then they were in the process of moving to their new location, life happened, and it kind of went to the wayside. Fast forward to nice weather and a bit more time, I had been thinking it would be a good time to check it out before winter. A few weeks passed and my birthday came along and we went on a drive. This is a normal thing, we often go to different parks to go for a hike or check something out on our days off. He thought I knew where we were going and I definitely did not! Until...we pulled up along side their new place and I was super excited! We noticed that the parking lot is also RV equipped and had designated parking spots for veterans and different important and respected folks. I thought that was a nice touch. Scatter Joy truly has something to offer everyone. Their mission is caring for surrendered and rescued animals. But also many of their animals are therapy animals. They offer animal assisted therapy and equine assisted therapy. After we went into the small building to pay for admission we were greeted by Dani who had a wealth of information about the place, the animals, and what they do. We were able check out the warm room and met Zoe and South American racoon, two baby foxes, and itty baby racoon that was abandoned after their tree they nested in was cut down, and some chinchillas. We headed over to the turtles next! It was fun to see them out in an open space. All of the animals we got to meet and pet were friendly and loved the attention. I loved seeing the beautiful peacocks, in colors I had never seen before! The porcupines had the best hair ever, the zebra was beautiful and the goats and sheep were cute and funny too. They also have wallabys and kangaroos. Two of which I didn't think I'd ever get to get up close to!! The kangaroos were so sweet! They have a blind cow Jesse who they care for and a couple of other cows, like the Highland cow Annabelle I had never seen before! The horses, reindeer, alpacas, and camels, rounded out our visit for the day. It was such an incredible humbling experience I highly suggest anyone to check out. They are even in the Nebraska parks pass to get stamped as well! I headed out their again with some friends and it was still lots of fun! It's a nice drive and worth the time to head out there! read more

See all

The staff is knowledgeable and willing to tell you about the animals they have there.

Wow what a fun afternoon! Totally went here on a whim and ended up being the highlight of the day! 26 acres of many different types of animals most of which you can get up close and personal with! It was so much fun seeing and petting all of these animals. All of the volunteers that were working there were super friendly and helpful and eager to answer any questions you might have. Had the opportunity to visit with the owner Joy who was super nice and was very impressed with the background she gave us on her business and the events that they do. They were very accommodating to us in so many ways! I wish nothing but the best for Joy and her business. read more

See all

The company is very irresponsible! If your child gets hurt by one of their animals, they do not care! They do not follow up! I can only imagine if my situation had escalated into some sort of bacterial infection... Beware of company.!!! We went to a public event at Hummel Park the city of omaha had hosted. We noticed a station with a cage about waist high with a bunny and a turtle in it. My daughter asked if it's OK to pet the bunny... Even though there were already other children petting the bunny. The Man working said definitely. And since the cage was high, and my daughter was only able to barely brush the top of them THEY TOLD HER she should bend down and put her fingers through the cage openings. She used two fingers to try and pet the bunny on its side And the bunny turned and bit her and wouldn't let go for a second or two. The bunny had ripped a flap of skin open and my daughter was instantly crying of pain and fear, so I quickly escorted her over to the handwashing station in the bathroom. We ran water over it for a solid 10 minutes and then The city of Omaha staff got one of their medics to come and look at it. He recommended we do not put any sort of peroxide on it as it can hurt the tissue he suggested just running the water on it And seeing if we could get that, flap of skin to flap back and close up with some pressure. We got worried unknowingly of what germs are in the mouth of a bunny... so I went back to the station and talked with the gentleman about my concerns and he let me know He didn't know much about the animals and was just helping a friend. He used to treat wounds back in the army, but knows nothing of animal bacteria.... he then contacted the owner to see if they were updated with all their vaccines and if I should be worried about any sort of bite/Something that could be in her blood now from bunny saliva. ... He let us know he talked to the owner and she said they are all up-to-date. I GAVE HIM MY NUMBER and requested she give me a call so I can feel more confident with this and ask a few more questions on if and what diseases bunnies can carry... It has now been over two months and I have heard nothing from the company. My daughter's scar is still there But thank God, no infection happened. read more

She took my animals and rehomed them without my permission and wanted money. She won't tell me where they are. I let them stay there cause I sold my home for my goats to get them a bigger place. My son is disabled and she said they will be there when I get moved to come get them. She won't tell me where they are and now I am looking everywhere for them. Please don't trust this place. She gets grants and made lots of money and steals from people like us. read more

See all

I really wanted to like here. They have a wide variety of animals. You can see they are well taken care of. I won't go back though. The owner was an absolute horror. When we got there she was talking to an employee (or volunteer) in a majorly degrading way. When we saw her again in the yards she yelled at a child for reaching through a fence. I understand that they weren't being safe, but to yell at a child is uncalled for. read more

Scatter Joy Acres is an incredible organization to support. I have personally gotten the opportunity to volunteer here on quite a few occasions since they moved to this location (formerly Soby Ranch). Joy is a hardworking, dedicated woman who truly cares for her animals and for what they can do for the people she serves with them. They have a very unique set up and the interaction w the animals is fat beyond what you can expect from a larger institution like the local zoo. read more

Allowing small children unrestricted and unsupervised access to rescued dogs is a recipe for disaster. Same goes for several of the animals that aren't allowed to be kept as pets but *are* allowed at a "nonprofit zoo," e.g., porcupines, kangaroos, wolf/coyote. Many of the animals also seem to be in poor shape. The farm has had citations from the Nebraska Humane Society and a warning from the USDA. The staff could not confirm the vaccination status of the puppies. read more

It was a lot bigger than expected! Our family had a wonderful time, next time we will bring food/drink for a picnic. The staff we encountered seemed very happy and cheery. Place was clean and organized. We thought it was a little pricey though, and the membership is quite a lot. read more

Kids had a blast here today. First time out since the virus. We kept our distance and saw lots of animals! The puppies stole my heart! Lots of anti bacterial at every gate. Get out and get some fresh air!! read more

Scatter Joy Acres - Love this sign - Petting Zoos Near Me - Murray, Nebraska

See all

Peaceful and readily accessible working farm in the heart of Omaha. Admission is straight up $15 but that gives you access to all animals. Access as in open the gate and walk right up to camels, horses, chickens, alpacas, donkeys, pigs and do much more. The vibe is relaxed and competent - feel free to take your time and know that these livestock are well taken care of! read more

The employees were all very friendly and educational in the animals. Each one has a unique story of how they got there and everyone loves them. My kids really enjoyed them and are already planning a return visit to see Roxy the Raccoon read more

Animals are given room to roam and visitors are given pretty much 'all access'. Large varieties of animals that can be pet and/or fed. Best local petting zoo and half the cost of the zoo. read more

We loved this experience! Way more interactive than the zoo. The friendly baby kangaroo stole the show! read more

Scatter Joy Acres - Friendly baby kangaroo - Petting Zoos Near Me - Murray, Nebraska

The admission was high but it's really a donation to the cause so we didn't mind that. I felt pretty confused once we parked as to exactly where to go to pay to enter etc. Dogs and some cats wandering which was super fun. My daughter loved petting many of the animals and so did I. They have kangaroos and a zebra too. I was disappointed many of the kittens etc we could only pet via a finger through a cage. Wish I could have held them but I understand some idiots would probably accidentally let some out without meaning to. I did feel some of the animals looked a bit rough overall (and we've owned pets forever including horses until fairly recently). We also felt a bit concerned for the stress on the pheasants and chickens in with the peacocks. Was a fun place overall, I'd return. Would even consider volunteering or something. Plan for some dust, and pet smell on you when you leave. read more

Great place and organization. My daughter loves seeing and petting all the animals. We had a great visit recently petting wallabies, goats, camels, alpacas, porcupines, rabbits, and more! The animals were relaxed and friendly. There is a nice covered picnic area with tables next to a fun play area for kids with a bounce house and swing set. We have visited in the past and will definitely be back! read more

Had an amazing time with the family while visiting here. I would suggest they give a little clearer instructions as we learned quickly which animals we got to close to. Also really a must to bring snacks for the animals. They suggested apples/carrots/strawberries but based on past experience from another farm I really wish we had brought lettuce/celery/carrots instead. Insane variety of animals. Lots of space and a small play area. Also bring water and snacks for yourself when it's hot out. read more

See all

I'm a huge fan of this place. The staff are super friendly, and the property is beautiful. They do awesome work in the community, and are extremely knowledgeable. It is great to get a chance to interact with animals, especially the strange ones. My grand daughters love every second here, it's always a wonderful day. read more

Great petting zoo with all different kinds of animals! Staff is great & very helpful! A hidden treasure in Omaha! read more

See all

I had so much fun here, this is definitely a place i would recommend going to friends. doesn't require lots of time, we were here for about an hour. supper friendly staff and they seem to know lots about their animals. read more