Salisbury Zoo creates sensory friendly space for those with Autism

SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury Zoo recently received its KultureCity certification, officially making it a sensory friendly space for those with autism.

Jayme Del Vecchio, with the Lower Shore Autism Community, said this new move will create more of a welcoming environment for families of all different types of backgrounds.

“Our families have a lot of sensory needs, and a lot of times, they’re afraid to visit these venues because there’s nothing there to provide any comfortability for their sensory needs,” Del Vecchio said.

To meet the certification standards, animal care technician, Brinkley Rayne, said the zoo is undergoing some modifications.

“We’re putting signs up around the Zoo that say this area is more quiet, this area is more loud. We also have these sensory backpacks provided to us by KultreCity, that have noise cancelling headphones in them as well as fidgets and other nonverbal communication cards to help visitors that are having a hard time,” Rayne said.

All of those accommodations will help individuals with autism, making their experience at the Zoo an enjoyable and memorable one.

“We’re kind of a community zoo; we’re here for everybody, we just want to make sure that everybody who visits has the best time that they can have and that we cater to all different kinds of needs,” Rayne said.