Editing Petting zoo

{{short description|Zoo where visitors can touch the animals}}
{{for|the film|Petting Zoo (film)}}
[[Image:Little kids.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Child petting a [[domestic goat]] at the "Little Kids" Children's Zoo, [[Saint Louis Zoological Park|St. Louis Zoo]], [[St. Louis, Missouri]], US]]
[[File:Reptile Petting Zoo in TMII Reptile Park 02.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A zoo visitor interacts with a [[reticulated python]] at the Reptile Park in [[Taman Mini Indonesia Indah]], [[Jakarta]], [[Indonesia]].]]

A '''petting zoo''' (also called a '''children's zoo''', '''children's farm''', or '''petting farm''') features a combination of [[List of domesticated animals|domesticated animals]] and some [[wildlife|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.

==History==
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, [[Netherlands|Dutch]] cities began building petting zoos in many neighbourhoods, so that urban children could interact with animals.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/21/travel/amsterdam-netherlands-dutch-children-farm-petting-zoo.html|title=The Dutch Way: Tulips, Windmills and Barnyard Animals|last=Siegal|first=Nina|date=2017-03-21|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-04-05|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Animals and food==
Petting zoos feature a variety of domestic animals. Common animals include [[cattle]], [[zebu]], [[yak]]s, [[sheep]], [[goat]]s, [[Domestic rabbit|rabbit]]s, [[guinea pig]]s, [[Pony|ponies]], [[alpaca]]s, [[llama]]s, [[pig]]s, miniature [[donkey]]s, miniature [[horse]]s, [[Domestic duck|duck]]s, [[Domestic goose|geese]], [[chicken]]s, and [[Domestic turkey|turkey]]s. They occasionally contain a few exotic animals such as [[kangaroo]]s, [[Wallaby|wallabies]], [[emu]]s, [[deer]], [[zebra]]s, [[parrot]]s, [[porcupine]]s, [[camel]]s, [[ostrich]]es, [[bison]], [[water buffalo]]es, [[rhea (bird)|rhea]]s, [[peafowl]], [[Domestic guineafowl|guineafowl]], [[antelope]]s, [[capybara]]s, [[lemur]]s, [[tortoise]]s 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 machine]]s or a [[kiosk]]. Food often fed to animals includes grass or hay, pellets, or crackers. Such feeding is an exception to the usual rule about [[Do not feed the animals|not feeding animals]].

== Mobile petting zoos ==
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.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

== 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>

==See also==
{{Commons category|Petting zoos}}
*[[Cat café]]
*[[Pet rental]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Zoos}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Children's entertainment]]
[[Category:Early childhood education]]
[[Category:Play (activity)]]
[[Category:Zoos]]
[[Category:Entertainment]]