LA GRANDE — Zoo Nights are back at Savage Serpents, 1307 Adams Ave. in La Grande.

Starting in February, on the first and third weekends of the month, Zoo Nights are a chance to interact with the shop’s exotic animals. Admission is $4.

The first Zoo Night will be Feb. 3, 1-6:30 p.m. There will also be fun games and activities for the young and young at heart with a special theme for each Zoo Night (to be determined).

The proceeds from these events will go toward owner Allyson Smith’s rescue efforts for exotic pet animals in the area.

Tucked into a storefront on Adams Avenue in La Grande, Savage Serpents has a wide selection of reptiles and amphibians, as well as bunnies and birds and all of the supplies.

When pet parenthood doesn’t work out, Smith has been stepping up to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome these creatures for years. Last year alone, she has given more than 300 animals a second chance at a new life.

Smith began her local journey with Petsense in 2018 where, as the store manager, she expanded the store’s resources for reptile owners in Union County and sought to educate people about reptiles through interactions with them. It was then she discovered the need for rescue services, as folks surrendered their reptiles that they were no longer able to care for.

With the opening of her brick-and-mortar store, Savage Serpents, in 2022, Smith has continued those efforts. Zoo Nights offers a chance to get up close and personal with such stars as Hondo, the Argentine black and white tegu; Vader, the blue-tailed skink; Vision, the corn snake; and Jabba, the leatherback bearded dragon.

For more details about the shop, visit facebook.com/malicensith.