The American West Heritage Center’s Baby Animal Days is an event where families can play with and hold many different animals.
Located in Wellsville, Utah, the American West Heritage Center holds Baby Animals Days every year. Rentals Manager Sarah Gunnell said this traditional event brings families together.
"It’s a family event," Gunnell said. "We see generations of families coming together for this event. They come every year. It's during spring break and people know that, and people come and plan it as part of their spring break."
Members of the community can hold, pet and play with chicks, ducklings, bunnies and dogs. They can ride on ponies. The heritage center also brought in baby bears from Yellowstone for patrons to look at.
Chelsea Sealy, one of the crew members, said after Baby Animal Days ends, some of the animals are sold to community members. Others are kept at the center and raised until they are fully grown.
After Baby Animal Days ends, some of the animals are sold to community members. Others are kept at the center and raised until they are fully grown.
"We are a USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)-regulated farm so we take really good care of all of our animals," Sealy said. "We raise them all. Some, we keep for breeding for ourselves so we can have their babies for next year."
At Baby Animals Days for their second time, the Nilson family from Smithfield said the opportunity to interact with the animals is something exciting and different. Amanda Nilson's kids spent the day watching a sheep get sheered, holding the ducks and riding on a tractor tour to see bison.
"This is the second time that we've come this time of year and it's fun," she said. "I think it's something different. It's a cool experience for the kids to get to see the animals and touch them, something different to take them to."
Baby Animal Days runs through Saturday, April 2.
