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How you can see mini donkeys being trained to help veterinarians at the Smithsonian Zoo

By Matt Kaufax
Spending the day with mini donkeys at the Smithsonian Zoo!

Have you ever seen a mini donkey participate in its own doctor’s checkup?

That’s a sentence we never thought we’d type, but now you can see just that at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo!

In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax spent the afternoon at the Zoo’s Kids Farm alongside some adorable mini donkeys, where he saw firsthand how new vet techniques and training are helping improve animal healthcare — one appointment at a time.

The coolest part? Anyone from the public can take a look and see this new “voluntary animal healthcare” up close, simply by passing through and petting some 4-legged friends.

The Zoo says it’s all part of an effort to make animal healthcare less stressful for all, and they hope this will ignite a passion for animals in some of their youngest fans!

Hear “Matt About Town” first every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday on 103.5 FM.

“Matt About Town” is now also on YouTube. Follow @WTOPNewsDC and @TheMattAboutTown to subscribe and get the latest episodes wherever you are!

If you have a story idea, you’d like Matt to cover, email him, or chat with him on Instagram and TikTok.

Check out all “Matt About Town” episodes here.

DC’s often-overlooked memorial to Albert Einstein

By Matt Kaufax
It's technically the only memorial in D.C. where climbing is encouraged. And while it's right next to the National Mall, this statue — and the building it sits in front of — often flies under the radar. In Tuesday's episode of "Matt About Town," WTOP's Matt Kaufax (and D.C. explorer and friend of the show Austin Graff) visited the Albert Einstein Memorial, a massive 7-ton bronze sculpture overlooking Constitution Avenue, just down the block from the Lincoln Memorial.
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