Editing Petting zoo (section)

== Health effects ==
Touching animals can result in the [[Transmission (medicine)|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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://eprints.ulster.ac.uk/3804/ |title=Zoonoses associated with petting farms and open zoos |access-date=2012-09-28 |archive-date=2015-02-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226230012/http://eprints.ulster.ac.uk/3804/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.bovinevetonline.com/news/industry/Beware-the-fair-and-petting-zoos-170049516.html Beware The Fair (And Petting Zoos)]</ref> There have been several outbreaks of ''[[E. coli]]'' etc.<ref>[http://www.about-ecoli.com/ecoli_outbreaks/news/tests-suggest-e-coli-spread-through-air/#.UGXIQWt5lP4 Tests suggest E. coli spread through air]</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/godstone-farm-ecoli-outbreak---7059615|title=Children win compensation after Godstone Farm E.coli outbreak|last=Harper|first=Paul|date=1 May 2014|access-date=1 May 2014|newspaper=getSurrey}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WHAT HAPPENS TO ANIMAL MOMS & THEIR BABIES ON FACTORY FARMS |url=https://thehumaneleague.org/article/animal-mothers-factory-farm#:~:text=The%20close%20proximity%20of%20a,the%20mother%20and%20the%20child |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=thehumaneleague.org}}</ref>