Petting zoo health hazards?

I thought I read somewhere about diseases that kids can get at petting zoos. We are going to a farm on Saturday and I think they have sheep & stuff. I am not the type to freak out over germs (i.e., if my kids drop a cracker on the sidewalk and then stick it in their mouths, I don't fish it out), but just thought I ought to know how careful I need to be. Advice?

 

A good friend of ours owns a petting zoo and they have everything from sheep & goats to a camel. My advice to you is make sure your kids WASH THEIR HANDS after they are in contact w/ the animals. I am not a germaphobe either, but several people in that were in contact with animals at our state's fair got ecoli. From not washing their hands properly.

HAVE FUN!

 

Most likely if you keep their hands out of their noses and mouths while they touch the animals, and then wash them properly with soap or Purell after, it will be fine.

 

We have been frequenting a local 4-H farm about once a week since the beginning of summer. We have also been to actual petting zoos 3 or 4 times. Joe especially likes splashing in their water dishes when I'm not looking :bad: (eeew!)

I keep wipes handy for a quickie wash-off while we're in the thick of things (in case they touch something really gross), then we wash thoroughly afterwards. We have yet to have any problems and the kids just love the animals. HAVE FUN and bring the camera!

 

We went to a petting zoo about 2 weeks ago, and they had handwashing stations set up for when you left. We all washed our hands really well & nobody got sick.

 

Ditto the others. We've been to petting zoos several times and I just made sure they were thoroughly washed afterward. They are old enough now that they don't stick their hands or fingers in their mouth every 5 minutes. The last time we went, they were just as excited about a pile of poop as the camel so don't expect much just yet :lol: Have fun!

 

We go to a small petting zoo frequently. I keep a small bottle of Purell in my bag and just wash their hands off with that when we are done. It's either ecoli or salmonella that's the danger, I forget which. Mine love feeding the goats, although most of the time they just throw the feed at them.

 

we went to a petting zoo over the weekend and they have a handwashing station at the end of the zoo - you actually can't get out of the petting zoo without washing....

 

We go to petting zoos/children zoos alot. I just have the girls wash up or use a hand sanitzer after the zoo. Every one I have ever been to have had either a handwashing station or hand sanitizer as you leave.

 

We have been to a few but haven't let the girls pet the animals. Haley is actually scared of sheep for some reason so we haven't had them close enough yet to touch.

 

Ours also has a handwashing station with water/soap/paper towels. The first time DS got to touch a goat, he wasn't scared at all and tried to hug it! I was so scared his was going to lick or try to kiss it. Not enough sanitizer in the world for that kind of love! :icon_eek: