Our Animal World, an educational mobile zoo based near Framlingham, has provided youngsters and elderly people with the chance to see, hold and touch animals from around the world, on their doorstep.
Our Animal World has over 40 species of animal, including royal pythons, chameleons, skinks and pray mantis’s.
One of the royal pythons. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)
Laura Jackson with her rabbits. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)
It is also one of the only mobile zoos in the world, that is completely done from the van, with convertable pens and enclosures, which can all be expanded from the van.
Laura Jackson, who is an ex teacher, came up with the idea of combining her love of teaching with her love of animals, and created the business in April 2022.
She said: “When I taught about animals, I used to take my pets in to show the children and the headmistress caught wind of how popular it was.
Our Animal World has over 40 species. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)
One of the reptiles at Our Animal World. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)
“She asked why I don’t do this as a job and it never crossed my mind, but from that point onwards, I wanted to open my own educational zoo.”
The van took six months to convert into the zoo, with each enclosure having its own lighting, power point and heating which is adjusted for each species accordingly.
Since starting the company, Laura and her team of students who study animal management at colleges, have been around Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and parts of London with the zoo.
The educational mobile zoo travels around the county. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)
Our Animal World has over 40 species. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)
Laura said: “We have been to some random places.
“We went to a tiny church once, and all the animals in their enclosures were just sitting on the pews.”
Laura is also CMA registers and is qualified in animal assisted therapy.
Our Animal World can be found at their website here.
Laura Jackson with one of the hedgehogs. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)
The chameleon at the zoo. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)