Higable Petting Zoo

Overview

Nearby Fort Bragg Trout Farm sign — not the former Higable Petting Zoo property

Higable Petting Zoo was a small animal attraction on Ocean Drive, south of Fort Bragg, documented in the March 16, 1976 Federal Register. The property is now a private residence. Out of respect for the current residents, its street address and photographs are not published here.

Location

The petting zoo operated in the Ocean Drive area near the Fort Bragg Trout Farm, outside Fort Bragg's southern city limits. The area is now mostly residential, and nothing visible marks the attraction.

History

On March 16, 1976, the Federal Register published a list of California animal exhibitors that identified Paul R. and Joanne R. Smith as the operators of Higable Petting Zoo in Fort Bragg. Businesses that exhibited animals to the public had come under federal licensing through the 1970 amendments to the Animal Welfare Act, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Searches of readily available online sources in October 2026 found no newspaper notices, advertisements, photographs, or other references to the zoo or its operators. When it opened and closed, what animals it kept, what facilities it offered, and where the name "Higable" came from have not been established.

Community Memories

No community recollections have been submitted for this attraction. Longtime residents who visited the zoo or knew the Smith family could help establish what animals lived there and what years it was open.

Why It Matters

Not every Fort Bragg attraction had a Main Street storefront or a long advertising history. Some were small family businesses on country roads, remembered mainly by the children who visited them. A single federal listing has kept the name of Higable Petting Zoo from disappearing entirely, and firsthand memories are still needed to tell the rest of its story.