One of my favorite places in all of Central Minnesota is the Pine Grove Zoo in Little Falls. It is one of Minnesota's oldest zoos, and only a short half hour drive from the St. Cloud area. The Pine Grove Zoo is great at creating enrichment for their animals, meaning that they get new toys and treats to keep them engaged and entertained, even in the winter. The animals live there year round, so even in the cold months zoo keepers are out there making sure they are well taken care of.

If you are looking for a way to get involved with helping the animals, it could be as easy as cleaning out your freezer. You know those packages of frozen meat that found their way to the back and never were eaten? Well the carnivores at the zoo would love to snack on them.

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The Pine Grove Zoo accepts meat donations of non-seasoned beef, pork (except ham), poultry, turkey, water fowl, bison, wild game, and fish. You can drop off the meat by the back gate next to the water tower, (turn by the Dollar General Store.) and you can drop it off at anytime, as the staff come and go through the back gate the entire day.

Don't forget to leave your name and address with the donation, that way the Pine Grove Zoo can send you a thank you and a donation receipt (all donations are tax deductible!).

The next big event for the zoo before opening for the season is Zoo Gone Wild at the Falls Ballroom February 28th with Deuces Wild! Dueling Pianos. Get all the information on that here. 

Abbey is on 98.1 Minnesota's New Country weekdays from 2-7 PM.

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