Petting zoo responsibilities

• Our first responsibility is for the safety of our animals and our visitors.  Everything we do is based on this.

• We will setup and take down the zoo on time as best as we can.  We usually arrive 30 to 60 minutes before the scheduled start of the zoo to allow this to happen.  However, animals are finicky, and traffic or vehicle/trailer problems can occur.

• We will provide all the fencing and equipment needed to contain and care for the animals during the zoo.  We will also bring our own water, but may need additional water for bookings over 4 hours in length, especially if it’s hot out.

• As a general rule we don't specifically guarantee that any particular one of the animals will be at a zoo.  These are living creatures and they get sick, injured, moody, and simply worn out depending on the heat, cold, and other events we've got scheduled.  Because we have multiple mini horses, mini donkeys, goats, sheep, and rabbits most every zoo includes those animals (depending on booking size and temperatures), but the pigs and alpaca can't be guaranteed.  Chickens may or may not be included depending on the age and temperament of chicks and chickens available.  The potbellied pigs and/or Alpaca may be included depending on the size of the zoo contracted and the outside temperatures. Rabbits may also be left at home if it is too hot or too cold. If there is a particular animal you're interested in, we can do our best to try to bring them with.

• All the animals we bring are checked annually by a vet and vaccinated against all diseases common to the area.  We will not bring a sick animal to the zoo.  However, animals can carry germs that can make people sick, so it’s important that everyone is diligent about hand washing and/or sanitizing before and after petting the animals.  We will provide plenty of hand sanitizer for everyone.  Also, no food, drink, strollers, pacifiers, kid’s toys, smoking, etc. are allowed in the animal area to prevent the transmission of germs.  Everyone must wear shoes in the animal areas.

  • NOTE:  The Minnesota Department of Health does not condone the use of hand sanitizer alone following a visit to a petting zoo.  They strongly recommend washing with soap and running water.  Due to the mobile nature of our petting zoo, we cannot provide a sink and running water for our zoos, but we will place signs at the zoos recommending people to wash their hands following their visit to the animals.  For events where hand washing facilities are not readily available, it is recommended that portable wash stands are rented from your local vendors and made available at the entrance to the zoo.  This rental is the responsibility of the event organizer and not the petting zoo.

• We will do our best to clean up after the animals as quickly as possible.  If we miss some droppings, please let us know so we can get it taken care of.

• The animals we will bring are farm animals and live outdoors.  They will act naturally at a petting zoo, which sometimes means digging – especially the rabbits and pigs.  We will attempt to minimize any impact to the grounds we are on.  However, the pigs, if the mood suits them, can turn over large areas of sod in a short amount of time!

 

 

 

Client responsibilities

• Please have payment available when we arrive so we can get started setting up right away.  As stated on the booking form, the booking fee is due in full prior to setup of the petting zoo on the day of the event.  Payments made after the day of the event must be approved in advance or a 20% late fee will be applied.

• Please let us know where the petting zoo will be located on the property as soon as we arrive so we can start setting up right away. We don’t want to leave the animals in the hot trailer any longer than is necessary. Our preference is to setup directly adjacent to the truck and trailer.  This makes for the quickest setup & teardown and the least stress on the animals and workers. If we will not be setup direct adjacent to the truck and trailer, make sure we know that before we arrive so we can plan according. Failure to disclose a distant location (i.e. a back yard) prior to arrival may result in an additional $100 hauling charge and likely a late start due to the additional setup time required. There is space on the booking form to indicate the setup location.

• Allow us time to setup the zoo before kids arrive or are let into the zoo area.  We will handle setup on our own and will not need assistance.  We have a system with lots of work that needs to be done, and we can’t be watching kids and setting up at the same time.  Plus, the animals need time to settle in after a long trailer ride.

• If tickets will be sold and collected, the client is asked to provide the ticket takers.  Our responsibility is to care for the animals and guests, not collect tickets, check wrist bands, ensure forms are completed, etc.

• Signs will be posted with the rules for interacting with the animals.  Please help encourage the guests to follow those posted rules.  Any guests not following the rules will be asked to leave the petting zoo area.

• We do not allow the feeding of our animals in the petting zoo.  They prefer to feed themselves and don’t care to have food shoved in their faces.  Kids often try to pick grass or hay off the ground to feed the animals, but keep in mind this is also where the animals have been peeing and pooping.  We do not feed treats to the animals during zoos as they get very aggressive and will knock kids and adults over trying to get at the treats.

• SHOES MUST BE WORN IN THE ANIMAL AREAS.  This is a major concern if kids are running back and forth to bouncy houses!!  It is especially important for infants and toddlers who like to put their toes in their mouths, but anyone could step in something brown and squishy on the ground if they get to it before we do.

• Rabbits and young animals may explore with their mouths.  They normally do not bite, but may chew on clothes, shoes, fingers, etc. if allowed to contact their mouths.  Chicks and chickens may peck at shiny things as they think they’re bugs. Parents should be careful to keep their children’s fingers away from the mouths of the animals and not to allow the animals to chew.

• Please make sure that the grass we’re on has not been chemically treated for at least 1 week before we arrive.  We don’t want any of the animals to get sick.

• If pony rides are included with a zoo, be aware that the ponies will be rested, fed, and watered for 5-10 minutes per hour.  On average, ponies eat for 16 hours a day, so when we’re out, they miss out on a lot of eating time during travel and the zoo.

• Dogs should be kept at a safe distance away from the zoo and the animals so as not to cause stress to the animals.  They look at all dogs as wolves that may try to eat them.

• A favorite saying of a friend of mine is: “I can’t fix it if I don’t know it’s broken.”  Please let us know if something isn’t working for you and we’ll do our best to make it right!