Meet The Owners
Darby Acres Farm is a family-run petting zoo, started by husband and wife team, Dwayne and Jennifer; they named the "farm” after their daughter, Darby. Their mutual genuine love for animals found them adopting, rescuing and caring for many animals on their property; many of whom they have raised since birth. They truly enjoy the love from all of their animals and take pride in nurturing animals back to health.
“This is our family’s labor of love, done strictly for the fun and the joy it brings us in working as a team and having such a great time teaching and learning empathy together. “ We simply want to share the happiness of our wonderful animals with those who would like to meet them and enjoy their company as we do.” - Jen & Dwayne
"We genuinely love animals and are strong advocates for animal education, encouraging all to continue to educate generations on the importance of all animals and how they affect our lives." - Jen & Dwayne
Meet The Darby Acres Team
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Maddy- Manager
Working at, and now managing Darby Acres is truly a dream come true. There is no one else like Jen, Dwyane, and Darby. The compassion, dedication, and love they have for their work is admirable and I am proud to get to work for them and to care for their animals.
I have now built lifelong bonds with the whole team at Darby Acres and with all the wonderful animals we care for. There is truly no place I would rather be. If I am not at the zoo you can find my at my husbands sub shop (Sandwich Max), pottery classes, or with my personal pets at the lake.
Miri Sydney- Assistant Manager
Darby Acres Farm & Safari is my home away from home! I’ve been working with exotic animals since I could walk, so getting to do this for a living is truly a dream come true. Every day, I have the privilege of caring for and learning from these incredible creatures, and this place feels like my second family.
When I’m not at the zoo, you’ll find me exploring local breweries, paddleboarding on the lake, or tending to my own personal zoo at home! I’ve been keeping and breeding reptiles for 15 years and run my own business, MSB Reptiles, where I share my passion for these fascinating animals.
Nadia- Zookeeper/ Tour Guide
I’m originally from Northern California and moved to Charlotte in 2018. Growing up, I helped on local farms, fostered animals, and assisted in my school’s exotic animal room, which reinforced my love for animal care.
I dreamed of one day working in sanctuaries with all kinds of animals. At Darby Acres I get to do just that! When I’m not spending time at the zoo, I enjoy being outdoors and traveling. I love spending my days with the animals and workers here and treating them all like family!
Henry- Zookeeper/ Tour Guide
Working here at Darby Acres is something I never would have imagined myself getting the opportunity to do at this point in my life. I am student majoring in evolutionary biology and education in my sophomore year of college. Spending my weekends working on this gorgeous property are not only enjoyable, but incredibly relevant to my current career path in every way. On the biology and animal welfare side of things, the implications of this job are obvious, but on the education side of things, conducting tours for our many engaged guests lets me put the teaching methods and philosophies I am learning in school to use in the best ways possible.
I can not thank Jen, Dwayne, Maddy, Miri, and everyone else involved enough for providing me with this amazing opportunity to not only work with these beautiful animals, but also educate others about the natural world, which I am so passionate about protecting and preserving.
Ben- Zookeeper
I love working at Darby Acres Zoo because it has given me the chance to learn, grow, and do something meaningful every day. Being surrounded by animals, dedicated staff, and a supportive environment has helped me build confidence and develop skills I never expected to gain. The team has always encouraged me, taught me patiently, and made me feel valued, and the animals themselves have inspired me to be more responsible and compassionate.
Darby Acres has truly helped shape who I am, and I’m grateful for every opportunity they’ve given me. again thank you Maddy, Jen, Miri, and Dwayne! If I am not at the zoo you can usually find me hanging out with my friends, riding my dirt bike, or hanging out at the lake.
Alex- Zookeeper
My name is Alex and I am a high school student here in Charlotte. Working at Darby acres has helped me grow in so many ways I never thought I would learn at this age. It has helped me become more responsible, more active, and more confident. Darby acres has truly changed my life, I can’t imagine where I would be if I hadn’t shown up for my interview. Spending each day with the animals and our team out here is truly an honor.
Like I said, I am a senior in high school and I plan on going to trade school to become a marine boat mechanic. I cannot thank Jen, Dwayne, Maddy, and Miri enough for providing me with this opportunity, and teaching me things I never thought I would learn.
WE ARE USDA LICENSED
This means that our animals are certified as healthy, and all required vaccinations are up to date. The quarters for the animals are inspected for cleanliness and safety. USDA inspection occurs regularly, so that you may be assured of a healthy, well cared for, and tame petting zoo for your tour/ event. Darby Acres Farm exceeds all USDA requirements for our animal's care, nutrition, transportation, cleanliness and living. You may be surprised to learn that all businesses that have animals for parties, or to be shown to the public must be licensed and monitored by the USDA. This means we are subject to pop inspections on our farm and in the field to be sure our animals are being properly cared for and are healthy. Exotic Animals are captive bred.