Do you let your DC touch the animals at the petting zoo?

[wencit]

Just wondering what you all do. We took DS to a very small petting zoo yesterday and he went CRAZY for the animals, but I wasn't sure if it was hygienic for him to touch them, so we didn't allow it. Is a 1-year-old's immune system strong enough to handle duck/pig/goat/etc germs? It grosses me out a little to think of these animals rolling around in their poop, then DS petting them. Also, will antibacterial wipes (like Wet Ones) + Purell be enough to kill any nasties?

I don't want to be an overly paranoid parent, and DS was *so* excited by all the animals and clearly wanted to touch them. On the other hand, I don't want him to get sick, either. We're going to another petting zoo on Tuesday with a friend, and I'm undecided as to whether I will let DS touch the animals or just watch.

I'm just curious as to what you mamas do.

[Fairy]

We did let him at age 2. But I don't feel warm and fuzzy about it. I made sure he was all Purell'd after.

[betsydenny]

Don't forget that lots of kids who grow up on farms have fewer incidents of asthma and such.

I always let my kids touch the animals if they want to.
And our petting zoo has Purell stations near the exit.

HTH
Betsy

[kristine_elen]

Definitely, that's what being a kid is about. Usually petting zoos have sinks/soap to wash up afterward. If not, I'd do a Wet Ones wipe followed by Purell.

[KrisM]

No, but that's largely because DS is a finger sucker and that just icks me out.

[miki]

I've always let her touch the animals. When she was younger, I'd just watch to make sure she didn't put her fingers anywhere near her mouth. We just make sure to wash hands afterwards.

[newmomto3kids]

We do and have from the time they were able to walk. We don't even make a point of washing their hands right afterward, unless it is convenient. Germs aren't one of the things that gets me anxious as a mom. But I know everybody has something that sort of wigs them out!

[randomkid]

Not to be an alarmist, and *I* love petting zoos myself, but they freak me out a little now. I haven't decided what I'm going to do about taking DD to one. A couple of years ago, we had an outbreak here where kids were critically ill with kidney failure. It was linked to a traveling petting zoo that is used at fairs. E. Coli is the culprit. Here is a link on the story:

http://www.marlerblog.com/2005/03/articles/case-news/7th-child-has-kidney-infection-after-visiting-petting-zoo/

What I have read on the syndrome makes it sound like the child has temporary kidney failure and is treated with dialysis and that's it. Not quite - I am a physical therapist and we treated one of the little girls who had it. She has severe, permanent brain damage as a result.

Here is another with some good advice:

http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docID=531619

The other info I found was all linked to E.Coli illnesses from diarrhea to more serious illnesses. That being said, washing hands is key. I would not let my one year old touch the animals at all, but that's just me. Maybe now that DD is older, I would let her pet them, but I won't go out of my way to take her to a petting zoo right now. I also don't think I would just Purell. I would only let DD touch the animals if I could thoroughly wash her hands with soap and water immediately afterward.

I'm not trying to scare anybody, but just trying to educate. I'm sure the risk is low, esp with hand washing afterward, but it's a risk that everyone should be aware of so they can make an informed decision. You are not being paranoid at all, but you *are* being a very smart, informed parent. :-)

[KBecks]

Absolutely. It's a petting zoo. We wash hands afterwards and the ones we have been to have all had handwashing facilities.

I also think purell, etc. is good, but handwashing would be better for dirt. Or handwashing followed by purell.

[elliput]

I haven't been to petting zoo yet with DD, but I will let her touch the animals when we do.

[ohmommymommy]

We have three dogs so a petting zoo is not that big of a deal. Most petting zoos inside a ZOO zoo are "cleaner" than those travelling petting zoos, IMHO. I had one parent freak out because we did not immediate pull out the wipes when DD had been hand feeding a goat.

We are not big Purel users either because we believe Soap, water and vigorous handwashing are far more effective and do not kill the good bacteria. We also worry about drug resistant bugs because of over use of anti-bacterials but that is a topic for another thread.

It is kinda funny to us because DD has been less sick than the kids of the germophobe parents we know.

[gatorsmom]

I would always let my children pet the animals. I want them to grow up loving and respecting animals- not being paranoid and afraid of them.

Of course, I'd make sure they washed their hands really well afterward since there are germs they can pick up.

My dad grew up on a dairy farm and was constantly around the animals. In fact, he loves to tell how his favorite napping place was snuggled in the warm cowbarn in the hay near the cows in the winter. Our pediatric allergist has told us of a study done in Germany showing that children who grow up on farms tend to be healthier in their lifetime than city kids.

Certainly, there are bad germs you can get from animals. E coli is just one of many I can think of. But good hygiene makes the risk of getting sick very small.



Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005

[madelinesmom]

We touch the animals at petting zoo's, my IL's farm, my dad's farm, pretty much any animal she can get her hands on. She loves them. Generally if we are at a petting zoo or a party with a petting zoo we do try and wash up afterwards b/c there are lots of kids around and I don't know what they have, but at our families places we just clean up when we come in the house.

Jane
Madeline 1/20/03
Emily 11/29/05
http://b4.lilypie.com/l3-em6/.png
http://b1.lilypie.com/-FG1m6/.png

[DebbieJ]

I absolutely let my DS touch the animals. What's the fun in going to to the petting zoo if you don't???

Every petting zoo I've been to has had a hand washing station or Purell station nearby.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[sdbc]

I agree on this one. I wouldn't let DD touch animals at petting zoos until she was FAR beyond fingers in mouth. Now, I avoid them if possible. If we happen upon one, she can pet if she washes with soap and water right afterwards, AND Purels. I remember the illness that went around from petting zoos a few years ago, with some children severely affected. We have a dog and a cat. She can pet them all she wants...

Sue, mommy to Aurora (Rory) born 5/13/04

[tarabenet]

I figure we are spiritual creatures who are here on Earth to have a physical experience. To deny ourselves and our children the physical experiences because we live by fear is to deny both our physcial and spritual development. What a waste.

So flame me. I believe it. I will not be part of feeding fear-based living.

As a kid, I loved playing in the dirt, petting the animals, climbing the trees, swimming, runing. Didn't y'all? I got germs, I fell down, I had scratches, I even broke my arm. But I had a life! I still do. I encourage Aubrey to do all of those things and whatever else she wants to explore. We can clean up afterwards. It is OK.

[Sillygirl]

>We are not big Purel users either because we believe Soap,
>water and vigorous handwashing are far more effective and do
>not kill the good bacteria. We also worry about drug resistant
>bugs because of over use of anti-bacterials but that is a
>topic for another thread.
>

Purell is different from antibiotics. It's an alcohol-based gel that kills bacteria indiscriminately, just as soap and water do. They are essentially equivalent. Bacteria are not going to develop resistance to either.

[pb&j]

We haven't been to a petting zoo yet, but we're looking forward to taking DS to a farm or petting zoo soon. We'll be sure to handwash and/or purell afterward, of course. I think it's a little mean to take a child to a petting zoo, where all the other kids are getting in on the action, and then not letting him touch. We've got cats at home, and touching them is the great joy of DS's life. :)

-Ry,
mom to Max the one year old
and my girl in heaven

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/37124.gif

[ellies mom]

Benet said it very well, much better than I could. Thanks. :)

[anamika]

>As a kid, I loved playing in the dirt, petting the animals, climbing the trees, swimming, runing. Didn't y'all? I got germs, I fell down, I had scratches, I even broke my arm. But I had a life! I still do.



Well said. Thank you for reminding me to stop being so over-protective :)

[maestramommy]

We took Dora to the petting zoo for the first time on Saturday. Apparently you have to wash your hands BEFORE and AFTER you go in there. It was a pretty restricted place. But clean. Everytime an animal pooped, a worker would come up and sweep it all away. I think as long as you're able to wash your hands afterwards it should be okay.

[randomkid]

I did the same as you, but there are bugs around now that did not exist when we were kids. I don't think it's living in fear, just being smart about the decisions that we make. I'm sure the parents of those children who nearly died from kidney failure would tend to disagree with you. I'm not saying that our children should not have experiences, but just that they should be cleaned afterward as a safety precaution. DD is only two and has had ringworm three times already and we don't own cats. As a kid, I was outside and in the dirt way more than she is and I never had ringworm. I just think there is more junk around these days and we need to be aware. That being said, I would not let a one year old pet animals at a petting zoo.

[AngelaS]

I do.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Definetly. They have a Purell dispenser right at the exit...and a bathroom right across the path at our zoo. I have no problem with it.

I am not really a germophobe though at all. I think exposure to germs is a good thing and helps to build up the immune system (within some reason). No antibacterial hand soap in this family.

Beth

[mom_hanna]

Yes. I figure if I am going to take DC there, then they are going to be able to pet and feed the animals if they want to. You can get E.Coli from food (burgers and spinach are well known cases) as well as many other places, as well as hepatitis and a host of other illnesses, so we just make sure to practice good hygiene no matter where we are.

[jgriffin]

I'd let E pet the animals, but I'd try to clean his hands off (at least with a wet wipe) soon after. But he's not big on putting his hands in his mouth anymore, so maybe I'm more relaxed about it. (We also live with 2 cats, so I'm sure he's gotten his fair share of cat poop on him, although I kinda don't want to think about it!)

IMO, he's probably safer getting some petting-zoo animal germs on him than getting people germs from, say, a shopping cart. Most animal germs aren't going to affect him, and it's unlikely they'd have parasites, at least if it's a reputable place.

Which petting zoo are you going to? I think the only petting zoo type stuff we've taken E to is the Oakland Zoo. And there they have large containers of purell-type stuff to rub all over as you leave the area.

Jen

[C99]

Isn't that the point of a PETTING zoo? If I didn't want my children to actually touch the animals, I wouldn't take them to a petting zoo.

[wencit]

>IMO, he's probably safer getting some petting-zoo animal germs
>on him than getting people germs from, say, a shopping cart.

LOL, guess who has a shopping cart cover, too? :P

>Which petting zoo are you going to?

We're going to Happy Hollow in San Jose.

[wencit]

>Isn't that the point of a PETTING zoo? If I didn't want my
>children to actually touch the animals, I wouldn't take them
>to a petting zoo.

Well, to be fair, I understand it's more like a park that also has a petting zoo area. (I've never been there before.) I'm not going there solely for the petting zoo. I was just trying to decide if I was going to let DS touch the animals if we enter the area.

[jgriffin]

I had heard they're doing renovations at Happy Hollow (though this was third-hand from a friend, not someone who had been there recently, so I could be wrong). I'd love to take E there some weekend, let me know how it is and have fun!

eta: I've been to HH once, pre-E, and as I recall it is more zoo and rides than petting zoo. They do have at least one petting area (goats and maybe sheep?), but there are a lot of other animals to look at there (not meant for touching), so if you get there and feel uncomfortable, it should be easy to bypass.

[tny915]

Just thought I'd share that Happy Hollow has a sink and soap dispenser right outside the petting area. I thought it was a pretty impressive petting zoo--goats roaming a pretty large enclosed area, than a wall with pens for larger animals like sheep, a miniature horse, some others I can't remember.

I prefer the Happy Hollow Zoo. The animals seemed more receptive to petting than the Oakland Zoo where they seemed to be hiding in the barn or on the rocks. Those at Happy Hollow are more likely to come up to you because they're all hoping that you'll feed them. This is all based on my extensive experience of visiting each petting area just once. :)

We let DD pet the animals. We just make sure to use Purell/soap/diaper wipes, or sometimes a combo of the three.

[jgriffin]

Having been to each once, this was my impression, too (eager animals at HH, shy ones in Oakland). However, when we went to HH with our friend's daughter, she was quite intimidated by the animals *because* they were so friendly and forward.

[ribbit1019]

Yes, we are just careful to follow up with washing as soon as available and purell right away.


Christy
http://lilypie.com/pic/070228/Yrlv.jpg http://b3.lilypie.com/H-lkm5.png
http://lilypie.com/pic/070228/sSDo.jpg http://bf.lilypie.com/tkq-m5.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/steitzsmith/Other/jump.gif

[kransden]

Just a warning lol!
When DD was 15 mos we went to a petting zoo. Was she interested in the animals --- no.... all she wanted to do was pick up goat doots lol! I like to have her wash her hands then Purell them. Just because who knows where the other kids hands were before they petted the goat kwim?

Karin and Katie 10/24/02

[shilo]

we adore happy hollow. it is sooo much fun! we keep a membership there now. they have a pony, donkey and llamas behind a fence that you can pet as well as a pen you can go into with very very tame goats. some of my happiest memories of early childhood are at happy hollow, so i love to take my DS there. also for the other 'locals', the san jose giant stadium is right across the street from happy hollow/kelly park. it is great fun for a family outing and the price is great! there is a bbq available for dinner and the fans are soooo much more low key and toddler friendly than a major league game (the sj giants are a minor league farm team).

fwiw to the op, i do let my DS pet and feed the animals at our local children's zoo. the enclosures and animals are clean and tidy. heck, i even let him feed them - he's very good about keeping his hand flat and open. then we head over to the sink and wash up. i usually try to remember the purel too, but if i don't, i don't worry about it.

lori
Sam 5/19/05 How lucky I am that you chose me.

[lisams]

Yes! If I didn't let her I would keep her out of the petting area. We didn't take her until she was old enough to know not to put her hands in her mouth and to be kind to the animals.

I make her wash her hands really well afterwards. I don't trust hand sanitizer to be enough to wash away the germs. Our zoo has sinks right outside the petting area.

Now what grosses me out are her shoes after she's been in the petting zoo area. I make sure she does not wear them in the car or house. This probably sounds nutso but I wipe the bottom of her shoes down with Clorox wipes after a trip to the zoo/petting area.

[mom2ethan]

I just got my Happy Hollow member magazine today, and it talks about their upcoming major renovation project. Construction starts this July, but the park and zoo will remain open. In July of 2008 the facility will close and not reopen until March of 2009. They are adding an education center, new rides, a bigger puppet theater, restaurant, and so on. While it all looks very nice, I think I'm going to miss the old Happy Hollow! My kids and I love it -- we go all of the time.

Susan

(Yes, I do let my kids pet the animals there, but we wash and then use Purell right after.)

[brittone2]

I do, but we wash hands afterward. Our museum has a petting zoo area and I don't think there is a handwash station (not that I've found?) and I wouldn't trust hand sanitizer without really washing. They don't even have the hand sanitizer out anyway. The bathroom isn't that far from there though.

When I was in PA, there was a case at a local petting zoo where several kids got extremely, extremely sick. I mean, really bad. Several were in the ICU, and I believe one child died. It was a petting zoo at a local dairy. I don't think it was particularly "dirty" or anything. I actually later treated one of the kids that was involved (for unrelated reasons). He almost died in the ICU according to his mom. After that, they mandated handwashing stations at petting zoos in PA, or the animals had to be out of reach.

I'm not too much of a germaphobe, but we do try to wash hands. It isn't too bad as DS is old enough that he doesn't really put his hands all over his face afterward until we get to a place to wash hands.

[brittone2]

She said doots :P