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Northwest Trek Wildlife Park / Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Code of Conduct 2025

Welcome to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park / Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. We are committed to providing a safe, fun and educational experience where everyone belongs. Ensuring the safety and health of our staff, volunteers and animals is everyone’s responsibility. We expect all staff and guests to treat each other, the animals, and our environment with respect and kindness.

By visiting our facilities, you agree to our code of conduct as follows:

Welcoming

We strive to provide a welcoming and inclusive space where guests can develop their appreciation of wildlife. We respect and value our diverse guests, staff, and volunteers, and we ask that you help us by being courteous to all.

  • Discrimination, harassment, intimidation and other disruptive, dangerous, or abusive behaviors directed at guests, staff, volunteers, or animals will not be tolerated.

Safe

To create a safe place for both animals and humans:

  • Please follow all staff and volunteer directions, including posted signage.
  • Always move at a walking pace and be alert to pathway conditions in our natural setting that include slopes, uneven terrain, surfaces that may be slippery when wet, and changes in elevation.
  • Follow all guidelines for animal interactions; only touch animals in areas that allow animal-human contact. Only feed animals in designated areas and with food provided by staff.
  • Do not bring skates, skateboards, wheelie-type shoes, scooters, balance bikes, bicycles, hover boards, or segways into the park.
  • No open fires or barbeques on park grounds, including parking lot areas.
  • You are welcome to bring a family picnic but no recreational equipment, such as net games, slingshots, projectile toys, frisbees or balls.
  • Check in all service animals at the admission gate. Pets, therapy, or emotional support animals are not permitted.
  • Ensure that all minor youths are accompanied by an adult.

Respectful

  • Do not smoke on park grounds, including vape pens and e-cigarettes, or use chewing tobacco.
  • Alcohol may only be purchased and consumed in the designated area(s).
  • No drones or other flying aircraft.
  • Do not wear clothing with inappropriate messaging/images.
  • Remain fully clothed (including shoes and shirts) at all times.
  • Protect our grounds. Please stay on visitor paths and the public side of all guardrails.
  • Littering, graffiti, picking plants/flowers, interacting with or feeding park wildlife are prohibited.

Empathetic

This is our animals’ home. Please show them compassion and kindness by recognizing their need for space and quiet.

  • Do not shout at animals or tap on exhibit windows or openings.
  • Do not use flash photography, or shine light sources/laser pointers in animal areas.
  • Do not throw or drop anything into animal habitats. If you observe a dropped item in a habitat, please alert a staff person immediately.
  • Do not feed the animals except in areas designated for this purpose.
  • Do not harass or tease animals.
  • No balloons. These are very dangerous to animals that might ingest them.

Prohibited Items

To ensure the safety and well-being of visitors, volunteers, staff, and animals, the following items are strictly prohibited on the premises:

  • Firearms, ammunition, and similar Items: This includes, but is not limited to, open-carry firearms, concealed firearms without a valid permit, and any form of ammunition.
  • Weapons or items that may be used as weapons: This category encompasses knives, sharp tools, razors, box cutters, and any other sharp instruments or objects that could be used to inflict harm.
  • Chemical weapons: The possession or use of any chemical weapons, including mace, pepper spray, tear gas, or other similar devices, is forbidden.
  • Illegal drugs: The possession, use, or distribution of any illegal drugs or controlled substances is strictly prohibited.
  • Alcoholic beverages not purchased on-site: Outside alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Alcohol consumed on the premises must be purchased from authorized vendors and consumed only in designated areas.
  • Staking equipment: Items that require staking into the ground are prohibited. This includes, but isn’t limited to, umbrellas with ground screws, lawn chairs with stakes, and games that require staking.
  • Animals (excluding service animals): Animals are not permitted, with the sole exception of service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Mobility Assistance

  • Northwest Trek and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium are ADA accessible. Public buildings, pathways, viewing areas and trams are designed and equipped to accommodate conventional and electric wheelchairs.
  • To ensure the safety of our visitors, Segways, gas-powered scooters, strider/balance bikes, and adult tricycles are not allowed in our facilities.

Disruptive Behavior Policy

We reserve the right to address individuals or groups that are behaving inappropriately or are not following the Code of Conduct. Actions may range from a verbal warning and loss of membership to expulsion from the facility or involvement by local law enforcement.

Anyone engaging in behavior that is potentially harmful to visitors, property, staff or animals will be immediately expelled from the facility.  Individuals and organizations will be liable for damage or injury resulting from disruptive behavior.

Minors and Youth Groups 

Adults escorting minors and youth groups will be held responsible for the behavior of minors. If a minor behaves inappropriately, an adult escort will be required to remove the minor from the park.  An individual’s misbehavior may result in the eviction of the entire group from park grounds. We reserve the right to prohibit disruptive, misbehaving groups from visiting the park again for an indefinite period.  Disruptive, misbehaving groups also are subject to loss of discounted admission. If a misbehaving, disruptive group loses its discounted rate, the sponsoring organization will be billed for the difference between the discounted and full rates.

For clarification of this code or more information, contact the Northwest Trek Reservation Offices at (360) 832-7166/ PDZA Guest Services: (253) 404-3800

Northwest Trek and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the gold standard for animal care and welfare. The AZA logo is your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you and a better future for all living things. With more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation and your link to helping animals in their native habitat.