ROANOKE, Va. – Mill Mountain Zoo has something new to brag about.
Roanoke's zoo has earned its Zoological Association of America accreditation, which recognizes zoos with "extremely high" standards for animal welfare as well as the safety of the public and staff members.
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The accreditation process is thorough and can take up to a year. After the zoo submits an in-depth application, a team of experts inspects the site. They look at everything from husbandry practices to the zoo's record keeping.
There are only 60 other zoos with this accreditation in the country. One of them is the Virginia Safari Park in Natural Bridge, which is not affiliated with the embattled Natural Bridge Zoo.