The Dallas Zoo has partnered with SSA Group and Wild Republic to launch a Zero Waste Box program that allows customers to exchange their well-loved, but no longer needed, plush toys inside the Dallas Zoo Gift Shop. These toys will be collected and sent to specialty recycling partner TerraCycle, ensuring they are repurposed and kept out of landfills.

In exchange, guests will receive 15% off the purchase of any new $24.99 Wild Republic plush stuffed animal per each item donated. In addition to the Dallas Zoo, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Houston Zoo, Oakland Zoo, and Brookfield Zoo Chicago are also participating in this program. While the launch date gives parents a reason to clean out their child's bedroom or playroom to make way for new holiday gifts, this is an ongoing program with no planned end date.

Your donation can help make a tangible difference in reducing waste and conserving resources. Reduces Landfill Waste: Keeps plush toys out of landfills; Conserves Resources: Saves materials that can be reused; and Promotes Sustainability: Encourages a circular economy and responsible consumption.

Over 100 million plush toys are sold annually in the U.S. SSA sells over 2.5 million units of plush toys per year. The Dallas Zoo has sold over 46,000 plush stuffed animals in the past year. There are a lot of stuffed animals out there, and keeping the old ones out of landfills can have a huge impact.

SSA Group provides retail and food services to the Dallas Zoo, and over 70 other zoos, museums, and aquariums in the US. Wild Republic creates eco-friendly, realistic plush toys and educational products, some of which are sold in the Dallas Zoo. TerraCycle is a leader in recycling hard-to-recycle materials and is a part of this partnership.

The Dallas Zoo is located at 650 South R.L. Thornton Freeway in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas. For more information, please visit dallaszoo.com/.