A petting zoo (also called a children's zoo, children's farm, or petting farm) features a combination of domesticated animals and some wild species that are docile enough to touch and feed. In addition to independent petting zoos, many general zoos contain a petting zoo.
Most petting zoos are designed to provide only relatively placid, herbivorous domesticated animals, such as sheep, goats, rabbits, ponies and donkeys to feed and interact physically with safety. This is in contrast to the usual zoo experience, where normally wild animals are viewed from behind safe enclosures where no contact is possible. A few provide wild species (such as pythons or big cat cubs) to interact with, but these are rare and usually found outside Western nations.
In 1938, the London Zoo included the first children's zoo in Europe and the Philadelphia Zoo was the first in North America to open a special zoo just for children.
During the 1990s, Dutch cities began building petting zoos in many neighbourhoods, so that urban children could interact with animals. [1]
Petting zoos feature a variety of domestic animals. Common animals include cattle, zebu, yaks, sheep, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, ponies, alpacas, llamas, pigs, miniature donkeys, miniature horses, ducks, geese, chickens, and turkeys. They occasionally contain a few exotic animals such as kangaroos, wallabies, emus, deer, zebras, parrots, porcupines, camels, ostriches, bison, water buffaloes, rheas, peafowl, guineafowl, antelopes, capybaras, lemurs, tortoises and many others.
Petting zoos are popular with small children, who will often feed the animals. In order to ensure the animals' health, the food is supplied by the zoo, either from vending machines or a kiosk. Food often fed to animals includes grass and crackers and also in selected feeding areas hay is a common food. Such feeding is an exception to the usual rule about not feeding animals.
Some petting zoos are also mobile and will travel to a home for a children's party or event. Many areas have a qualified mobile petting zoo. One of the first mobile petting zoos in Australia (begun in 1992), was Kindifarm. As a result of its popularity, many Australians use the term kindy farms to describe petting zoos. In Australia, mobile petting zoos are allowed in schools, child care centres and even shopping centres. For many children, a mobile petting zoo is their first opportunity to see and touch an animal. American mobile petting zoos have gained popularity in the southern states.
Touching animals can result in the transmission of diseases between animals and humans (zoonosis) so it is recommended that people should thoroughly wash their hands before and after touching the animals. [2] [3] There have been several outbreaks of E. coli etc. [4] [5] Another threat is salmonella specifically from chicks handled by children. Petting zoo attendees under the age of 5 are at a higher risk of contracting these diseases and they are a major target audience of these petting zoos. [6]
Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, management, production, nutrition, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starting with the Neolithic Revolution when animals were first domesticated, from around 13,000 BC onwards, predating farming of the first crops. During the period of ancient societies like ancient Egypt, cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs were being raised on farms.
A feral animal or plant is one that lives in the wild but is descended from domesticated individuals. As with an introduced species, the introduction of feral animals or plants to non-native regions may disrupt ecosystems and has, in some cases, contributed to extinction of indigenous species. The removal of feral species is a major focus of island restoration.
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF), also known as The Royal, is an annual agricultural fair that is held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the first two weeks of November. It was inaugurated in 1922 in the Coliseum, on the grounds of Exhibition Place. It has since been expanded to also take up the Enercare Centre and remains an important exhibit for livestock breeders. Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, was the fair's royal patron. Members of the Canadian Royal Family have also been guests of honour at the fair. It is the largest indoor agricultural fair in the world.
The domestication of vertebrates is the mutual relationship between vertebrate animals including birds and mammals, and the humans who have influence on their care and reproduction.
A working animal is an animal, usually domesticated, that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks instead of being slaughtered to harvest animal products. Some are used for their physical strength or for transportation, while others are service animals trained to execute certain specialized tasks. They may also be used for milking or herding. Some, at the end of their working lives, may also be used for meat or leather.
The Buenos Aires Eco Park is an 18-hectare (44-acre) park in the Palermo district of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The former zoo, opened in 1888, contained 89 species of mammals, 49 species of reptiles and 175 species of birds, with a total of over 2,500 animals. The institution's goals are to conserve species, produce research and to educate the public. In June 2016 the city formed a bias about the zoo's cruelty. They had to close the 140-year-old zoo and relocate most of the animals to nature reserves, including Temaikèn. The zoo property will be converted into an ecopark.
The Roger Williams Park Zoo of Providence, Rhode Island, contains more than 800 animals in natural settings from a total of 160 species from around the world. In 1986, the zoo became the first zoo in New England to earn accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Founded in 1872, the zoo is the third oldest zoo in the nation. The zoo and the nearby Carousel Village are some of the main attractions of Roger Williams Park.
Austin Zoo is a non-profit rescue zoo and located in southwestern unincorporated Travis County, Texas, United States, west of Austin. The zoo is accredited by the Zoological Association of America.
Niabi Zoo is a public Zoological Park in Coal Valley, Illinois, serving the Quad Cities Area. This 40 acre zoo is nestled inside its 287 acre forest preserve. The exploration of this picturesque setting guides guests through the discovery of more than 600 animals representing nearly 200 animal species from around the world. Niabi Zoo is open for general admission April–October annually and offers robust education and outreach programs year round.
The Seven Sisters Sheep Centre was a farm near East Dean, in the Seven Sisters Country Park of the South Downs. It held a large collection of about 50 sheep breeds, including rare breeds no longer raised by commercial farmers, and a number of Southdown sheep.
Surrey Docks Farm is a working city farm in the heart of London. It occupies a 2.2-acre (8,900 m2) site on the south bank of the River Thames in Rotherhithe.
Wetheriggs Animal Rescue is a registered UK charity. Wetheriggs is an international animal rescue centre now located on the A66 just outside Barnard Castle in County Durham, England. The rescue centre takes in a wide range of animals apart from domestic cats and dogs. Many of the animals were previously pets which could no longer be looked after. The majority of the other animals have been rescued from around the UK. Some of the animals have also come from other animal centres on the world as part of swaps.
The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead is an educational family attraction that focuses on agriculture and local history in Overland Park, Kansas. The facility shows farm animals, birds of prey, show gardens, butterfly gardens, a nature trail, a Kanza Native American display, and a full-scale one-room schoolhouse. The facility also provides playgrounds, a fishing pond, and horse-drawn wagon rides.
ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, founded on April 14, 1949, as "Ruhr-Zoo", is one of the most modern zoological gardens in Germany. It was founded on a heavily shelled area in Gelsenkirchen adjacent to a port on the Rhine–Herne Canal. It initially encompassed 15.5 hectares. During its first years, there was a large turnover of animals as an animal trader, Firma Ruhe, provided them.
Lamont Farm Project is based in Erskine, Renfrewshire. It is a city farm which is open to the public.
Gembira Loka Zoo is a zoological garden located in Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Gembira Loka Zoo was opened in 1956 and comprises a botanical garden, orchid nursery, (artificial) lake, children's park, numerous scenic bridges across the Gajahwong River, and a collection of approximately 470 animals, most notable of which are its native Indonesian tigers, leopards, Komodo dragons, saltwater crocodiles, orangutans, and gibbons, as well as African animals such as lions, camels and hippopotamus. The park is 54 acres in size.
Tŷ Mawr Country Park is a country park and farm park near Cefn Mawr in Wrexham County Borough, Wales. The country park lies between Cefn-bychan and Newbridge to the north, the River Dee to the south and west, and the Cefn Viaduct carrying the Shrewsbury–Chester line to the east.
The Petah Tikva Zoo is a small zoo located in Petah Tikva, Israel, adjacent to the Yad Labanim Park, and it opened to the public in 1996. Previously, the zoo was larger and housed large animals such as giraffes, camels, and elephants. However, with the increase in the city's population, the noise created by the animals and the cost of land led to a reduction in the variety of animals at the zoo.