At the birthday party, children and adults alike sit rapt as the handlers produce a menagerie of small lizards, snakes, and amphibians. As they remark on the creatures' physical features and behavioral traits, these handlers might ask the birthday boy or girl to hold a turtle, or welcome members of the audience up front to pet a scaly head. Though it's often difficult to hold the attention of young and old at once, the staff of Claws Paws & Jaws strike just the right balance with their interactive animal experiences.

Building on the company's 25-year history and their own love for animals, staffers frequently travel to a range of events—from private parties to festivals and corporate promotions—to educate others about their scaly and slimy companions. At the indoor Rainforest Zoofari, they perform public reptile feedings and demonstrations, as well as face-to-face encounters and showcases of the season's hottest pith helmets. And yet, for all of these applause-grabbing shows, some of Claws Paws & Jaws's most important programs unfold behind the scenes. Staffers work tirelessly to rescue abandoned animals, and perform services ranging from assisted feeding and injury care to the sale of pet supplies and frozen or live feeders.