Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital Tours

Take your next Zoo visit to a whole new level by touring our state-of-the-art Veterinary Hospital. This behind-the-scenes tour will take you through a facility designed to accommodate all current and future animals at Oakland Zoo, from small birds to large camels and grizzly bears. It features radiology and surgical suites, a small laboratory, a pharmacy, wide transportation docks, and LEED Gold certification.

Important Notes:

Children must be at least 5 years old.
Participants age 5-17 must be accompanied by an adult chaperone.
Maximum of 15 participants per tour.
Zoo Member Tour Fee: $20.00 per person
Non-Member Tour Fee: $25.00 per person
Tours are available Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:00am.
Tours begin promptly at 10:00 am
Tour will take place rain or shine.
Parking and Zoo Admission must be purchased separately.
Veterinary Hospital tour tickets are non-refundable.
Photos are not permitting inside the vet hospital during the tour.
If you will be accompanied by a service dog*, please email lcraig@oaklandzoo.org to book a tour.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Will we get to see live animals?

We cannot guarantee that you will see animals in the Veterinary Hospital as the needs of our animals change on a daily basis. The staff/Docents that lead Veterinary Hospital tours do not know which animals are at the Veterinary Hospital on any given day. We do show guests short video snippets of zoo animals undergoing medical exams or procedures.

Will we get to see animals in quarantine?

You will not get to see animals in quarantine as they are housed in a special area of the Veterinary Hospital so that they will not be exposed to any airborne germs. This is both for the animal's protection and the human's protection. You do get to see a fun video snippet of our black bear cubs when they were housed in our quarantine facility when they first arrived at Oakland Zoo in 2017.

Will we get to touch any animals?

At Oakland Zoo we practice "protected contact" - that means that in most instances there is a barrier between the animal and the human. This is for the animal's protection and the human's protection. The only animals that guests can touch at Oakland Zoo are our goats, sheep, rescued domestic cats and an ambassador dog in the Petting Yard. The Petting Yard is located in the Wayne and Gladys Valley Children's Zoo.

Will we get to see a procedure?

Our animals at Oakland Zoo receive wellness exams and it depends on whether any of our animals are scheduled for a routine check up on the day of your tour.

Will we get to meet a Veterinarian?

You may be able to meet a veterinarian or more often you will have the opportunity to meet another member of the hospital team.

Can we take photographs?

You are welcome to take photographs of the outside of the Veterinary Hospital. Photographs are not permitted inside the hospital.

Is Zoo admission or parking included in the Veterinary Hospital Tour?

Parking and Zoo Admission are paid for separately. They are not included in the tour fee.

How many children are allowed per adult?

We can accommodate up to 20 participants. Children age 5-17 must be accompanied by an adult chaperon.

What is the tour group size?

The tours can accommodate up to 20 participants.

Are refreshments permitted in the Veterinary Hospital?

Food and drink are not allowed inside the hospital.

Useful information:

We recommend that all tour guests dress for the weather and wear close toed shoes with a firm grip (e.g. sneakers).

For questions, please contact Launa Craig - lcraig@oaklandzoo.org (Mondays and Tuesdays)

*Service Dog at Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital

Services dogs are permitted in certain locations within the Hospital. For the safety of our animals and in accordance with the American’s with Disabilities Act and the health standards governed by the Veterinary Medical Board, USDA and CDFW, all service dogs visiting the Hospital must be under the control of their handler on a 6 ft or shorter leash, remain quiet, and have no appreciable signs of illness (coughing, sneezing, vomiting or diarrhea) within 24 hours. Service dogs are not permitted to share any spaces with Zoo patients and as such will be limited to the lobby and hallways, with all treatment areas and the Ward excluded. If at any time the service dog barks, vocalizes or is not under the aforementioned control, the service dog and it’s handler will be required to end their tour and asked to leave the hospital. Thank you so much for your care for all of the patients we treat here daily, from on campus, illegal wildlife trade confiscates to CA native wildlife including condors and mountain lions.

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Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital Tours