Committed to Caring for All Animals

“We aim to provide a great family experience and educate people about animals,” says Peter Brewer, V98 (he/him/his), president and head veterinarian of Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon, Massachusetts. “Many of our visitors like a variety of entertainment, but with climate change and habitat loss affecting many species, more people want to interact with and help animals, so we’re trying to facilitate this by providing education and conservation programming.” 

The Zoo developed from the passion of Brewer’s family.  “My grandfather, Justin Southwick, was one of the first aviculturists to raise captive waterfowl and many crane species. He was also an authority on migratory waterfowl and that’s how the zoo started,” Brewer explains.

Southwick’s Zoo officially opened in 1963. Peter’s father, Robert, and uncle, Dan Southwick, helped their grandfather start the zoo.  

For years the zoo flourished and in the early ’70s, Peter’s parents purchased Santa’s Land, a Christmas-themed Park located in Putney, Vermont, which the family operated for several years. “We had many different species of animals there—horses, reindeer, camels, goats, and a chimpanzee named Jingles that grew up with the family.” He learned much about caring for animals while helping his family run the park.

After his grandfather and uncle passed away, Southwick’s Zoo nearly closed, but the Brewer family assumed its operation in 1980 and brought several animals back to Southwick’s, including “Jingles,” where she lived with a group of chimps for many years before her passing last year at the age of 52. Over the years, Peter and his four siblings have managed to maintain and expand the park “without hurting each other,” he jokes. “And we’ve been running it for 42 years,” he acknowledges. 

With more than 850 animals from around the world housed on 200 acres, Southwick’s Zoo is among the largest in New England. Since it is privately owned, the Zoo depends exclusively on funding from admission proceeds from its visitors and patrons. “The zoo started small, and budgets were tight, but we have grown steadily and expanded the property to include naturalistic habitats and exhibits,” Brewer says. 

Their mom, Justine, is past president and current treasurer of the zoo at 86 years young. She also helps with landscape design and beautifies the property with annual and perennial flowers that line its pathways. “She’s a pistol,” Brewer muses. 

Sister Betsey holds a master’s degree in wildlife conservation and animal behavior and runs a non-profit at the Zoo called EARTH Ltd., which manages educational programming and supports conservation initiatives with organizations locally and globally. 

“We have increased our conservation efforts and now offer a rhino encounter, where guests can interact with them,” Brewer shares. “It’s changed people’s lives when they get up close to these animals. Betsey has raised more than $150,000 which has supported rhino conservation in South Africa and anti-poaching conservation strategies.”

Rounding out the family involvement, sister Cindy is the Zoo’s CFO and in charge of Galliford’s Restaurant and food and beverage, brother Robert manages the physical plant and brother David serves as equipment manager and maintenance supervisor. “We have a responsibility to rely on each other to move the family operation forward, with a highly dedicated staff—some of whom have been with us for more than 30 years,” Brewer states.

From his early days of caring for animals, Brewer was drawn to veterinary work. “I always had an interest in animals and wanted to go to vet school,” Brewer shares. He was mentored by the late Dr. Charles Sedgwick, a pioneer of zoological medicine, who taught at Tufts (1983–1995) and served as first director of Tufts Wildlife Center. “I was working at the Zoo and had a good working relationship with Tufts, so going to the vet school was a natural fit for me, especially with it being so close. We had a diverse class, including some older members like myself, which I enjoyed."

During his fourth year as a Tufts student, Brewer worked with Dr. Sedgwick for three months at the Los Angeles Zoo, where Sedgwick was serving as chief zoological veterinarian. Brewer later spent three months working at the Bronx Zoo, gaining experience, and making contacts in the field.

Located less than 20 miles from Cummings School’s campus in Grafton, Southwick’s Zoo enjoys a collaborative relationship with the school and other local zoos caring for all their resident animals. “I have other veterinarians that have assisted me at times, including some from Cummings School and the other Zoos in the area,” Brewer explains. 

“Many have asked me, ‘How do you treat all these exotic animals?’ I say, ‘A horse is a zebra or a rhino, as they are their closest relatives. A house cat is a tiger. They have similar diseases. A goat or a cow is a ruminant, similar to giraffes and deer.’

“I’ve been to Cummings School, Buttonwood and Roger Williams Park zoos to collaborate and help as needed with certain animals (including a cougar, bison, and emus) and they’ve helped me as well (with kangaroos, a warthog, a lion, tigers, giraffes, and certain primates). It’s reciprocal.” 

Recently, Cummings School staff assisted with a young, female endangered siamang born at the zoo. Siamangs are small apes and extremely rare. “She had a severely dislocated elbow that needed orthopedic attention and they did an incredible job,” Brewer explains. “She is now fully recovered and brachiating around her habitat.” 

Despite all his knowledge and experience, Brewer stays humble and never gets complacent. “I’ve been around exotics my whole life, but I’m always learning based on the situations I encounter,” he says.

Brewer has also welcomed some Cummings School students to the Zoo for internships, which has been a positive experience for both parties, and he is also proud to donate to his alma mater. “We’ve grown, but it’s a challenge for us from year to year, but I do what I can to give back and support the school,” he says.

Now 65, Brewer admits that Southwick’s Zoo may be in line for some changes in the coming years. “I’ve loved working here but I’m getting older and we’re going to plan a transition for the zoo at some point. We have some younger family members that want to assume responsibilities, and we’ll see how it evolves.”

For now, he’s happy to care for a wide variety of animals and educate visitors about them while providing an enriching source of family enjoyment, conservation, and education.