WIMAUMA, Fla. — Jenny Walker has always been a circus performer. She is an acrobat and animal trainer. She has traveled the country dozens of times and belongs to a family that has run circuses for five generations.
“My job is a labor of love,” said Walker, 38, a wife and mother of two children, 6, and 1.
Now, those skills are helping Walker survive the loss of her job and give some hope to hundreds of others also dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Walker and her partner, Lance Ramos, 51, own Circo Espectacular de Mexico, an entertainment company based in Wimauma. The circus had to cancel its shows in mid-March due to the spread of the virus.
The temporary closure required the Ramos-Walker family to reinvent themselves.
The couple decided to open the doors of their house and farm at 12611 Andrews Road as an animal attraction, open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. They called it “Jenny’s Petting Zoo.”
“It was an idea that came about because our circus jobs were completely demolished,” Walker said. “We had to do something.”
The attraction invites families to come see the animals in an open environment, feed them and enjoy some of the shows Ramos and Walker staged before the pandemic.
Its one of any survival strategies circuses have employed to keep the animals fed and survive the coronavirus. For Walker and Ramos, the monthly food bill is about $2,000.
“I can’t imagine my life without my animals, they are like family,” Walker said.
The family has two zebras, three camels, a pair of kangaroos, 25 ponies, two llamas, a score of goats, several turtles and chickens. They also own a group of dogs that are part of Walker’s show and two little pigs that go by the names Patrice and Peppa Pig.
It’s more important now than ever for the circus to spread joy, she said.
“The coronavirus is a tragedy, but you have to fight to the end because if one door closes, another opens.”
Admission to the zoo is free, but donations are accepted. Soft drinks, popcorn and cotton candy are sold and horseback rides and camel rides are $5.
“We have to think about the people and their children who have stayed in their homes for so long,” Walker said. “In the end, they are our main motivation.”
Matthew and Lindsay Lehtone of Apollo Beach brought their two kids to Jenny’s Petting Zoo for something different to do.
“It’s a good option for the whole family,” said Lindsay, 33, mother of Julian, 3, and Isaiah, 1. “It’s affordable and attractive.”
Ramos, who is of Mexican and German heritage, said the zoo will keep them going until the pandemic fades away and the circus can reopen.
“The entire entertainment industry is affected because of the coronavirus, but I am sure that one day it will resurrect,” Ramos said. “And when the circus resurrects, it will be better than ever.”
Ramos grew up in a circus family. He traveled the world and learned how to train lions, elephants and tigers.
Seven years ago, Ramos decided to open Circo Espectacular de Mexico to offer a show entirely in Spanish for audiences in his community. The idea was a hit and the company performed throughout Florida.
They hope to do so again soon.
“We must move forward,” Ramos said. “I know that this is my destiny. I was born and will die in a circus.”
