The Petting Zoo rebrands to Zoologee

The new name reflects the company’s commitment to nature, learning and imaginative play.

After over 30 years in business, The Petting Zoo has announced it is changing its name and rebranding to Zoologee as a way to better reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to nature, learning and imaginative play.

“As we’ve grown, so has our vision. That’s why The Petting Zoo has evolved into Zoologee,” says Lisa Talenti of Zoologee. “The Zoologee name was inspired by curiosity, family adventures and our enduring love for the natural world.”

John Lizewski started the company in 1994 and took on the role of chief teddy bear salesman with just three plush bear options. Soon after, Lizewski’s brother JoRoy, master of toys, joined him to build what would become a multi-generational family business. Since then, the family business has provided fun products to serve zoos, parks, aquariums and more to share their love of nature.

Talenti adds, “While our name is changing, our heart remains the same. We’re still the same family-run company making the same beloved plush toys, now with a name that captures the wonder, curiosity and educational spirit behind every animal we bring to life.”

The company is slowly rolling out the rebrand over the coming months, with updates to packaging, tags and other marketing materials. While the company name and logos are changing, Talenti says the heart of the company and its products won’t change.

“Zoologee’s earth-friendly focus drives our product vision — a vision to repurpose and reimagine recycled materials into planet-friendly toys that help protect our environment,” Talenti says.