Potomac Almanac

Potomac — For the last eight years Squeals on Wheels, a mobile miniature petting zoo and pony rides business, has brought joy and animal education to people of all ages. Started by Jill and John Phillips, with the help of their five children, Squeals on Wheels has become a Washington D.C. Metro Area award-winning business. Through its many events, such as birthday parties, festivals and child education programs, people are able to interact with animals ranging from chickens and bunnies to exotic animals such as the Patagonian cavy — a relatively large rodent indigenous to Argentina — or the very rare miniature llama.

But to the Phillips, the zoo is more than a business, it is a part of the family. All five of the Phillips children have been impacted by Squeals on Wheels. Tyler Phillips and Chelsea Phillips have followed in their parent’s footsteps by starting their own animal education businesses.

After working on the administrative side of Squeals on Wheels, Tyler Phillips started Rent-A-Coop with girlfriend Diana Samata in April of 2012. It provides a hands-on educational experience for people of all ages interested in taking care of their own chickens or interested in watching chicks hatch through the “Hatch Your Own Chicks” program. When asked how he came up with Rent-A-Coop, Phillips said, “It was my mom’s idea. I was making chicken coops and selling them on Craigslist when we realized it could be turned into a business.” Currently Phillips keeps his chickens and coops on his parents’ land, but is looking for his own farm as his business continues to expand. Currently his business has reached as far Hartford, Conn. When asked about possible plans for the future Phillips says he is looking into expanding further, down to the south and hopefully over to California.

Chelsea Phillips landed back in the family business unexpectedly. After studying political science at the University of Texas, Phillips did not get the idea to start her own mobile petting zoo until her parents came down to her home in Austin for a visit. Phillips said her parents received numerous calls from Austin-locals who had seen the Squeals on Wheels advertisement on their car. From this, her business “Tiny Tails to You” was created.

“My parents have definitely helped a lot with the business. It wouldn’t have been a concept without them. My mom’s expertise helped a lot, definitely with questions about the animals and their health,” she said. The business grew so much that Phillips’ husband Joe Moore quit his job as an elementary school teacher to help out. “I was pretty exciting to be self employed. Running my own business with my wife sounded appealing,” he said.

Daughter Marlena Phillips currently works at the Duke Medical Center as a registered nurse, but still works petting zoos and helps take care of the animals when she is in town. Son Grant Phillips lives in Chevy Chase and works for Royal Bank of Canada. On the weekends he helps out with the zoos by working events. Youngest daughter Raquel Phillips is a rising senior at University of Maryland, College Park and has worked events for Squeals on Wheels throughout her college experience. As a public health major, working with the animals is a hobby rather than a career path, but she said, “I would be in a lot of debt if it were not for this petting zoo. Paying for my rent and my school was very dependent on petting zoo money.” Working at Squeals on Wheels provided all of the Phillips children with a way to pay for college.

Whether Squeals on Wheels has been a career path or a hobby, each member of the Phillips family has benefited in their own way from the family business. Raquel Phillips said, “It was nice when my parents went from having a 9-5 to having their own schedules. They were always around and available to talk. Instead of having to wait for dinnertime to tell them something, I could tell them right away.” John Phillips recalls that his favorite memory in running Squeals on Wheels for the past 8 years was the types of animals he shared his master bathroom with: a baby wild turkey, baby geese and now a baby Patagonian cavy.

For more information on how to become involved in Tyler Phillip’s “Rent-A-Coop” visit http://www.rentacoop.com. For more information on Chelsea Phillip’s “Tiny Tails to You” in Austin, Texas visit www.tinytailstoyou.com. To set up events or parties with Squeals on Wheels, visit http://www.squealsonwheels.us.