Donate Goods

The Oakland Zoo benefits from a diverse array of donated goods, food and vehicles from individuals, community groups and companies. Your donations help keep our animal commissary stocked with tasty food and fun "toys" for our animals. Using these toys, or enrichment, contributes to a healthy animal by keeping their minds active and engaged.

Support the Zoo and our conservation partners by purchasing items from our Amazon Wish Lists. We engage all our animals by providing customized treats and toys, or enrichment, to keep their minds and bodies active. We also communicate regularly with our conservation partners around the globe to understand and support their evolving needs. Each purchase you make fuels our animals’ wellbeing and conservation impact.

Produce and bakery goods are used to feed our animals as well as for certain enrichment activities. We will take produce items that are relatively fresh, except for onions (green onions and leeks are okay), limes, lemons, potatoes, and herbs. All produce must be pesticide free. We'll also take bread and bakery items, dried fruit, nuts and cereals. Please, no rotten, moldy, or slimy foods. Please do NOT drop off produce without speaking to our commissary department - we cannot use donated produce that is left at our entrance booths or elsewhere on Zoo grounds.

For more information on produce and bakery donations please contact the Commissary Department at (510) 632-9525 ext 253 or email [email protected].

Starting on November 1st for a limited time, we will be accepting pumpkin donations that have NOT been carved or painted or have any rotten spots. We will not be accepting large loads or boxes of pumpkins. We can only take a limited amount of pumpkins as we can only feed so many out for diet items and enrichment purposes. When we reach our limit we will turn donations away. You do not need to call ahead to donate. Drop off hours are between 9:30am and 3pm. When you arrive at the zoo, Public Safety will direct you where to deliver.

Any questions or inquiries call (510) 632-9525 ext. 257.

Tree branches (browse) are also used as food and/or toys (enrichment) by many of our animals. At this time we are not picking up from residential households, but we are accepting deliveries of edible branches. We do not accept individual Christmas Trees, as we work with Christmas Tree lots directly to receive their leftovers.

Please consider these tree companies for your tree removal needs, as they have been working with the zoo for over ten years delivering tree branches for the animals directly to the zoo! Since it is time consuming for our keepers to pick the branches up, we much prefer to work with companies who are willing and able to deliver.

• Garcia Professional Tree Service: (510) 915-0201
• ‍Buena Vista Tree Service: (925) 449-1203
• Luis’s Tree Service: (510) 575-5667
• Duda Tree Service: (510) 531-5261
• Miguel Terra Petra Gardens: (510) 205-9647
• Green Terra Tree Service: (510) 436-5403
• Torogoz Landscaping LLC: (510) 575-8694‍

Oakland Zoo also partners with Charitable Adult Rides & Services (CARS) to process vehicle donations that generate ongoing funding to support our work.

Learn more »

Click here for a complete list of Frequently Asked Questions about browse donations.