Montebello Barnyard Zoo

I don’t understand how this petting zoo hasn’t been shut down. The conditions for animals and humans are horrid. The animals clearly suffer from depression, and cage rage. The horses bully the donkeys, their cages and pens are unsanitary, the teeth of the animals are in bad condition, etc. The people that run that place and work there don’t care for the animals at all, they’re only trying to sell tickets to a rickety train and carousel that is rusted over. Don’t support this place. Don’t teach your children apathy.

Solid 3.5 stars. Learned about this petting zoo from Groupon and took the drive out here. Very neat little petting zoo in a park. Chickens, roosters, peacock, pigs, bunnies, goats, horses, llamas, ostrich, bull. Very cute. Not crowded. You can feed the animals, take a «train» ride, ride the carousel, and do a pony ride. Save your cash for the train ride/​carousel. Very neat concept, wish it was closer to where we lived. We would visit more often.

If you have any heart for the well being of animals, please don’t come here. The animals all look super stressed out, their coats are in awful condition. You can’t feed the same pellets to all animals in there. A peacock should not be sharing a cage with chickens and pigeons. So so sad. I was only here because of a birthday party and had no idea what I was walking into. Really depressing.

Super cute little spot to take the kids! They seemed a bit short staffed today but the kids didn’t notice.

I don’t know what this bitch below is commenting on saying this dilapidated place is a better petting zoo than LA Zoo has like really lady?!? This is Not a Petting Zoo!!! You can feed pellets to goats and donkeys and some ponies but they do not like being petted!!! Nor would I recommend you just letting your children reach at them and feed them or pet them!!! The pony ride guy is a complete asshole!!! Doesn’t speak English and mumbles in Spanish for you to grab any random helmet and put it on your child, mumbles again ALL IN SPANISH! Go up the stairs to where the child gets on the pony, MUMBLES AGAIN IN SPANISH to put your child on top of the pony and MUMBLES AGAIN IN SPANISH!!! Like really guy!!! I have no idea how to do this you are the expert here and are being so rude!!! The so called child saddles are not sturdy and safe looking. I regret letting my three year old daughter on! She looked like she was sliding off the side! I was holding my breath the whole time!!! The guy doesn’t interact with the kids to make them feel safe of even turn around to make sure they are ok!!! This place is a dilapidated ghetto zoo!!! Not worth anything!!! Just look at the pictures of everything and the carousel?!? Dont WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY HERE!!!

I’ve always wanted to bring my son here since it is not pricey and nearby. When I first arrived, the smell was really bad. The animals looked depressed. They were dirty and had poop in their area. They need to care of this place and the animals. I’m surprised haven’t been shut down. I won’t be returning

This place is hidden. This location is located in the back of Montebello’s Grant Rea Park. The only reason why I am disclosing this is bc I was alittle lost. To get to the entrance you have to walk across the park to the back of the batting cages. Admission to the petting zoo is $ 5 pp. They have chickens, horses, goats, ducks, sheep, a donkey, a zebra, a bull or steer type of cow thing and lamas (that you cannot touch) they also have pony rides and u can feed the animals if u buy the feed for $ 1. The highlight I would say is the zebra. If I could offer any advice is bring soap/​hand sanitizer bc the bottles provided were empty.

had my son’s 1^st bday here. didnt want to go thru all the hassle hiring performers (clowns, face painting, magician etc) especially i dont even know if they are that great performers. to each is own right? so we decided to have a «Old McDonald’s» themed party.
we reserved the big area accross where the pony ride was. all the kids loved the fact that they can do so much. train ride, pony ride, carousel, & pet feeding.
what just turned me off was — i got $ 40 worth of pet food to distribute to all the kids. i didnt want to keep coming back and forth. end of the day, i have more than half left. untouched. i asked my husband to ask them for refund since didnt want to put them to waste. all the guy said was «sale was final». really? smh. turned me off but didnt want to cause any issue bec we were still with family & didnt want to end the day pissed.
we spent more then $ 700 to the place, still added tables (with additional cost). and you could not return the least $ 20 for the pet food? policy is policy i get that. but c’mon. really? anyways, i’m still giving it a decent rating because all in all the kids had fun. that was important. just turned me off in the end.
my husband ended up leaving the food to the guy & told him to just give it for free to the kids who are still coming in.

Sorry but this place is run down. The animals look dirty and very sad. They are standing in dirty mud. It stinks. The carousel doesn’t even play music, the whole place should be redone. The helmet for the horse fell apart as soon as my son wore it. I didn’t feel like he was strapped on safely, and the guy who walked the horse didn’t even look back once to see if my son was still sitting in the saddle. The staff is depressing, they don’t like to do their job. The whole place looks run down and I was very disappointed.
Can’t recommend at all.

Cute place for the kids, we love the mining but it was closed today. Otherwise a great deal and bring a lunch there is a park next door picnic ready. Very peaceful

I love taking my 4 year old here. She has a blast feeding the goats. She calls them her best friends. The staff is always friendly and courteous!

Came to the barn maybe a month ago and forgot to Unilocal.It was so cute to come very inexpensive and everybody that works there is so friendly.
Definitely going to come back

This place has so much potential! Totally have the potential go get 5 star and turn into a hidden gem!
We randomly looked up a place for my daughter to experience pony ride, and this happen to be the closest one. We came on Sunday morning and initially was «disappointed» by its appearance, the lack of organization, but soon realize we were judging a book by its cover!
The petting zoo, in my opinion, MUCH BETTER than the LA zoo. There’s zebra, different horses, and small Sheep and goats… Once my daughter got use to feeding them, she had a blast. The best part was she had the zoo to herself, and the price is very reasonable, services were nice! The Animals were all very friendly.
The pony ride really made my 2 year old wanting for more! I took so many pictures for her.
The only critique, like I said, it’s their décor. They have so much potential, and I think with a little investment, it can turn into an abstraction!

On a Saturday morning, around ten AM, my GPS lady told me I had arrived at my destination. I looked around, confused. This wasn’t a barnyard nor was it a zoo. It was a playing field. As I parked the car and walked further towards the place, I watched as a pair of tiny adorable football teams tested their sports mettle against one another. An eager announcer excitedly called the plays, and the smell of hot dogs and popcorn wafted on the breeze.
As I walked past the fields, my eyes caught an old red barn on the opposite side. Hidden in the woods, it was completely hidden behind the field and bleachers. So, when you pull into the fields and bleachers wondering where the zoo is, you’re completely in the right spot.
I approached the barn, and greeted the young man setting up the register area. Entrance was five dollars, and food bags were a dollar each. I waved my card at him, and he said that his machine was down, he’d have to charge me on my way out. He tossed me a bag of food, and directed me to the entrance. Right on the front gate, a sign read «Animals are unpredictable, caution.» That’s a good sign. I took note of it and proceeded into the gated area.
As I walked in, I noticed a sink and soap set up right there. Good, you can wash your hands on the way out. The first pen contains some rabbits, and a cage adjacent has an Emu. Following the pathway, behind the Emu is a pen for some fat pigs. Signs warn against feeding the pigs, as their diet must be different from whatever food pellets are in the bags. The pigs looked up at me and snorted. I guess they’re used to not getting food by now.
Following the path, you get to the zebra and goats. The goats are eager and excited for food. One in particular stuck his head out as far as he could. Further back the Zebra’s pen allows him to get his head out, and too the person for feeding. I eventually saw it as a game. Feed the Zebra, but get through the goats to do it. I carefully tossed food pellets into the Zebra’s open mouth, anything I missed fell to the ravenous goats. After playing the game and feeding all the animals, I continued on.
Next to the Zebra & goats was a miniature horse/​pony, and in the following pen, a donkey who brayed loudly to get my attention. A pen of chickens, roosters and peacocks is centrally placed creating the «pathway». I spent some time here, feeding the animals and listening to them vie for my attention. I emptied my bag feeding as many animals as I could. There is every opportunity to pet these animals as well.
After emptying my baggie of food, I discovered that there was another side to the place. Over on the other side of the barn, there were more goats, a llama, a horse and some cows. There was also a pen for geese and ducks. Oops. Maybe I should have gotten two bags of food! I washed my hands at the sink, and felt glad for that opportunity. I know how animal smell tends to stick. Even after multiple handwashings.
After spending some more time meandering around, I felt I’d seen it all. I returned to the guy at the register, and took care of my bill. $ 6 for an hour of animal themed entertainment. As I looked further around the register area, they’ve also got a small carousel, a pony ride booth, and a train that goes around the place. It’s a cute lil place to visit. The guy informed me that the entrance fee is for all day, so you can leave and come back all day if you want. Good to know.
I’m glad I came here. It’s a neat place to visit. Albeit, I think I’ve seen it all, and don’t really have to go back. But… it’s definitely a neat place to visit. Thanks to the Unilocalers who suggested it.

Being the mother of a two year old I’m always looking for things my lil man can enjoy. As other Unilocalers mention it is not a zoo so don’t plan to be entertained for hours and or see something exotic like a giraffe or something lol. Just your usual barn animals with the option to feed some. They also have a carousel and train ride that was Kool for an additional fee. It’s on the same lot with a playground aswell as a splash park so bring a change of clothes if you plan to get wet. Overall a fun local spot with other activities to do at an affordable price could definitely see us coming back.

It should be called «small Zoo» or «mini Zoo» So people that aren’t aware don’t get the wrong idea. The offer a train ride, horse rides, & you can host a party. The Zebra is always fun, he loves to be fed. My kids get a kick outta the «bully goat». There’s always one that won’t let others feed. The pigs. well… They’re pigs so don’t expect much. One thing I thought was cool on our visit was the pile of rocks/​boulders by the pond filled with turtles. They had about 5 – 6 squirrels running around, hiding in between rocks. Kids had a good time playing peekaboo! It’s not big at all so Don’t walk to fast. Enjoy. $ 5 entrance.

I would not recommend this place to anyone. The animals are confined to small areas (with the exception of the chickens). A zebra and an ostrich have no place in a petting zoo, let alone is such small areas.
The horses are unkempt and one even looks as though she/​he is suffering from malnutrition.

I sooo want to love this place and I kind of do but there were some disappointments. I took my son here today and we enjoyed our brief visit. The workers are nice and friendly but the animals are another story. LoL
One ugly mean goat literally attacked us the second we walked up to the «petting zoo» that was not a petting zoo with the bag of food that we purchased. He grabbed the food and tore the bag out of my hand but I fought with him and managed to grab the half eaten plastic bag out of this mean old monster’s mouth!
The pony ride was fun but too short. $ 4 for two quick laps and two minutes later you are done and the kid wants to ride 10 more times! At $ 4 each ride, sorry little cowboy, two rides is all you are getting!
My son was convinced the little old rusty broken down looking merry go round was going to break down but surprisingly it did not. He rode that twice too.
The train was a bit of a joke but we actually really liked it and my brat wanted to ride that too again, but I was not paying another $ 8 so we did one ride. One ride was enough. Be careful getting in and out of that death trap because it is extremely unstable and the ride is very rough and bumpy so don’t ride if you have a bad back.
My biggest qualm was that there was not really a petting zoo. It’s a lie!!! Maybe for private parties but not for normal visitors. You can pet a few aggressive goats and a spitting llama but that’s about it. The birds and the cows and the horses and even the dang little fury bunnies are not accessible. So what are we supposed to pet?!? Blah.
If you are looking to kill an hour and try something different with your kids then this is a decent place to go. It is pricy and it is completely retarded but they have a weekend discount package that is not offered on weekdays (seems backwards to me!) so I don’t know. Really run down and hidden in the back of the park so be prepared to walk!!! It was ok, though, and my son had fun… but only for an hour!

The Montebello Barnyard Zoo!
I’m still scratching my head after reading some of the previous reviews. They are no doubt written by people who have never previously been on a farm, was not raised on a farm, and have unrealistic expectations in general…
Don’t expect «shiny coats» and clean hooves because these animals live on a FARM where there is DIRT and MUD. The only time I have ever seen any farm animals of this nature — clean and shiny — is during a 4H showing at a county fair.
And if you feel as though these farm animals are sad, gloomy, or mistreated or unkept (i.e. dry, brittle hair or what you presume to be «vitamin deficiency»), such is life on the farm… It’s hot! It’s dusty! And the other animals don’t clean up after themselves! I, a farm-​raised girl, had to do that for them.
Want to know what happens after you bathe a horse, a dog, or any other farm animal? Typically they head straight for the nearest mud puddle or pile of dirt. It doesn’t bother them to be covered in mud & muck. In fact, it helps them stay cooler & acts as a natural protectant from the sun & flies.
And a note about the person who mentioned something about the «ostrich.» That’s not an ostrich — it’s an emu. On the other side of my parents’ property when I was growing up was an emu farm. That emu is not in bad condition…
Take some of the negative reviews with a grain of salt. Lin F. posted a picture of a cow with the «Don’t feed the cow» sign in the background, only to post this caption: «If you feed the cow your hand will be very muddy.»
PARKING:
The zoo is not clearly visible from Rea Dr. In fact, it’s kind of hidden by Grant Rea Park. Just park for free near one of the baseball fields. The best way to enter is to go down the walkway between the baseball fields that are back to back from one another.
REASONS I DIDN’T GIVE 4 OR 5 STARS:
The transition from animal area to the next is weird. It just seemed like the set up could have been arranged better, but I suppose it happened that way because they kept adding more animals plus they are a little short on space thanks to the nearby park.
The llamas & some of the other horses were blocked off so we couldn’t put them or get closer to them. Our 14-​month-​old was very curious about the llamas.
I wish they’d at least put a train whistle on the truck pulling the «train.» If there was one, I never heard it.
BOTTOM LINE: if you hate dust, mud, poop, flies, allergies, the potential for hayfever, not being able to pet every single animal (or kind of animal for that matter), not having a restroom to go to (aside from the nearby park’s public restrooms), and potentially having a goat here or there munch on your clothes, then the Montebello Barnyard Zoo is not for you.
It is, however, a great place to let younger kids observe & pet farm animals for the first time. It’s also a fantastic place for their first pony ride.
EXTRAS:
It is a small farm, so don’t anticipate spending too long there. We spent only about 45 minutes they’re mainly because it was too hot.
It is a dusty adventure, but I got my baby stroller through the entire farm.
Debit/​credit cards are accepted, but there is a $ 1 fee if your transaction isn’t $ 10 or more.
The nice man at the booth only charged an entrance/​petting zoo fee for three adults ($ 5 per person), but not our infant and our 14-​month-​old.
We also bought one small bag of feed for $ 1. Start with one bag & if the kids start having fun then go back and buy some more.
There is a sink to wash up at after petting all the animals and feeding them. It was supplied plenty of soap but no towels. Bring some wet wipes in case you find out someone in your group stepped in something you didn’t want them to once you get back to your car.
Call ahead for hours & suggested final entry time.
Review #280

The best thing to do is not have any expectations and just go.
Things you need to know.
1. The little Barnyard Zoo is inside towards the back of the Rea Park.
2. Weekends, parking is nuts because the park is heavily used for baseball games and parties. If you find parking right away when you turn into the street, just park there.
3. It isn’t fancy. It is simple and smells like a barn or a zoo. Be ready to see lots of farm animal poop.
4. $ 5 admission to the farm animal area and feed is $ 1.
5. There is a $ 10 min on credit card charges.
6. I do appreciate the soap and sink to wash your hands after you are done feeding the animals
7. If you have to travel more than 10 mins to get here, not worth it.
8. It’s entertainment for the kids that only last 45 mins at most.
9. Just consider it as a local business that residents just love the fact there is a little barnyard zoo in their city.