Dallas Zoo works to help crowds beat the heat during Thursday's 'Dollar Day'
DALLAS - Despite the excessive heat, it was a sell-out crowd for Dallas Zoo’s Dollar Day.
The zoo took some extra steps to help crowds beat the triple-digit heat.
A spokeswoman said the zoo brought in extra medical staff to make sure they were prepared for any heat related incidents with the huge numbers of people Dollar Day brought in.
Thousands of people decided not to let a little heat keep them inside Thursday.
"[My son is] excited to see the tigers and dinosaurs, I'm excited to see the flamingos," Isabel Jaimes said.
Jaimes said she's not a fan of the heat, but her kids are fans of the zoo.
With admission just $1 per person Thursday, for a family of six, the heat was a small price to pay.
"Anything for them," Jaimes added.
"They have a lot of good shaded areas, so easy for us to keep cool," Diamond Williams said. "A lot of drinks, waters, juices, snacks to keep the protein up."
Dallas Zoo Dollar Days: Things to know
Dollar Day at the Dallas Zoo is this Thursday! Here are a few things you should know.
Kids didn’t seem to be fazed by the Excessive Heat Warning, but some parents and grandparents seemed to have some issues with it.
To keep people cool, the Dallas Zoo set up extra misting stations and gave out waving hand fans for free.
If the fans didn't cut it, there were also popsicles, but people had to eat them fast, as they would melt in the heat.
A spokeswoman for the zoo said people didn’t have to worry about the animals.
"Our animals are well suited to the heat, but we do watch them," Kari Streiber said.
And they can also go inside whenever they want.
"It’s important to remember choice is a huge part of animal welfare. They have the option to go back inside when the heat gets up there," Streiber added.
While the zoo had some air-conditioned spots for visitors, grandma Liz Garcia did not always get that option.
"He says, ‘Mom, grandma, I've got to see the monkeys and giraffes, let’s go let’s go,’" she said.
The Dallas Zoo used to allow unlimited admissions on Dollar Days, but now it is capping ticket sales at 20,000.
There is one more Dollar Day coming up August 8, but you must reserve a ticket in advance online.