Animal Experiences | Amazing Animal Encounters

From £40 available until 20th December

Appointment only animal experiences for groups, therapy, individuals, families, educational settings, gift vouchers and bespoke sessions to suit your needs

Thank you for taking a look at Amazing Animal Encounters. My name is Maria and I am the owner and head handler and run our animal sanctuary which our sessions fund.

Born and raised in rural Kent, I fell in love with wildlife and animals early on. Nature was respected and encouraged on my parent's smallholding and long before it became fashionable or mainstream to rewild, go organic or be sustainable, also the gorgeous overgrown wildlife haven that was the farm they both worked on. Living in a shepherds cottage on our smallholding in the Kentish Weald, I've been teaching my own children, and countless others, to love and respect animals and wildlife since 2005, when we started accepting unwanted animals into our home. A small number of our mainly rescue or rehomed animals are suitable for animal encounters and the sessions we run with them fund all of the care of every animal on the sanctuary

Maria sits with a fox, a lamb and two dogs in a meadow by the edge of a lake

All animal activities in England involving members of the public and an exchange of money are legally required to be licensed either as a zoo or an animal establishment and should display details of the licence

We are a properly licensed animal establishment providing educational and therapeutic services and a safe and loving home to the animals rehomed here who all live as part of our family

Because of our strict travel welfare policy we will not travel further than one hour or 40 miles from our location. We only take one off-site booking for any one day so the animals have more time to themselves and we have more time to look after them. We don't perform an outlandish show or give out sweets, party bags or provide 'extras'. We concentrate on providing an educational experience with the animals and the perfect environment for them to live in.

There's no kissing crocodiles, snakes around necks or creatures on heads - their welfare and your well being come first. Everything we do is age appropriate - and safe. We aim to provide low risk experiences suitable for everyone and are a neurodivergent and covid cautious safe space.

We believe access and interaction with animals is a privilege, not a right - and animals have a right to consent. Our gentle and sensitive approach educates our participants to approach animal interaction in a respectful, dignified and species appropriate manner and ultimately ensures the safety of the participant

Vincent the fox follows a sledge in the snow pulled by his best friend, a medium dog. A chihuahua rides on the sledge