Collegiate Times

When Virginia Tech Union vice president Jenny Borman attended an event planning conference with fellow VTU members, she got a sweet surprise: A kiss from a monkey named Mindy.

"Of course when it leaned it to give me a kiss I was like, 'woah, what are you doing?' said Borman of her encounter with the furry creature.

But the smooch didn't scare her in the slightest. Borman helped lead a VTU committee that planned to bring the monkey and various other exotic animals to Tech as part of a petting zoo today in Squires Plaza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"When we were deciding between this and the other event, I was like, 'yeah, we gotta go with the monkey,'" Borman said.

VTU members decided the interactive animal event would be perfect for the Tech community.

"We always love to have things that appeal to the campus as a whole," Borman said. "While some people may not like animals, I'm sure the majority of them are excited to be able to touch a monkey or see a monkey in person at least"

Planning for Exotic Animal Touch Fest began this semester and dealing with the logistics was a new experience for VTU. The event couldn't be held inside and or on the Drillfield either because of rules and regulations about animals.

When it came to naming the event Exotic Animal Touch Fest, Abby Schoenfled, director of alternative sounds for VTU, said it could have been hit or miss.

"From my marketing experience, that could either be really awesome or really not awesome," said Schoenfeld, junior business management major.

She said one person had mistaken the event for a human touching event, but said she is hopeful people will drop by the event and understand the true intentions.  

Touch Fest participants are more than welcome to get as close to or as far from the animals as they please.

"You can do anything from look far away to kiss some animals," Shoenfeld said.

VTU selected unique animals that would satisfy the wants of the community.

"We wanted a variety of animals that would provide people with a little something for everyone," Schoenfeld said.

Animal trainer and care taker Mark Szafran, who will be at Touch Fest, said all the animals have their own names and personalities.

Casper the friendly snake, an albino Burmese python, Monty the python, Chi-Chi the Chinchilla, Mirage the fennec fox, Horace the pygmy hedgehog, Pi the scarlet macaw, Purse the four-foot American alligator, cats Jessie James and Geoffrey, Sherman the leopard tortoise, and Mindy the monkey will all be present on campus today.

Szafran said the alligator is cool because he looks like a dinosaur. He described the cat Jessie James as both an outlaw and one of the tamest cats in the country. He said one of the snakes is a little thief and will get caught in shirts and purses. Mindy the monkey is the youngest animal and will turn three next month.

Szafran said people who interact with the animals always seem to enjoy watching one thing.

"People really love it when they go to the bathroom," Szafran said. "It's quite funny."

He handles the animals every day and said they are all very safe. The snake and one of the cats aren't allowed to be around the other animals at all times because they will eat them.

At the event, Szafran will answer any questions people may have about the animals.

 "When you go, you get to interact and touch the animals," Szafran said. "Pretty soon it's going to be illegal."