Petting zoos are fun, educational, social and for many of us the closest we'll ever get to being Old Macdonald or Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
But in our fur-feeling frenzy, many of us don't realize we're touching more than what we can see or feel. In fact,we're getting personal with germy critters like E. Coli, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, and Campylobacter. These bacteria live in the intestinal tracts of some animals and which then are shed in the animal's feces.
Horses, goats, sheep, donkeys and other four-legged creatures--sure they're cute, enticing us with all that hair, fur and those eyes. Ah, those eyes. Don't let them fool you! Yes, touching and not washing could wreak havoc on your digestive system.
Common Sense Isn't So Common
If you're a Gastro Girl groupie, you know how I feel about handwashing-- an act so basic and common "sensical" that you would think it comes as second nature to all man and woman-kind. Not so. And when it comes to petting animals at the zoo--we're not washing our hands or taking other basic precautions--and some of are getting sick.
See, a recent study found that between 1991 and 2005 there were at least 55 outbreaks of intestinal diseases with associated with animals in public places, like petting zoos, in the United States.
While it may not seem significant--the fact is that even though the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention has simple guidelines to help prevent the transmission of these diseases--not all of us are heeding this advice.
This study was published in the July 1, 2007, Clinical Infectious Diseases (and currently available online).
"While petting zoos are common and can be an excellent educational and social event, there are potential health risks that are not always being properly addressed," said J. Scott Weese, DVM, DVSc, dipACVIM, lead author of the study. Because the route of disease transmission is usually from animal feces to a human's mouth, guidelines to reduce the risk of disease are designed to interrupt this route. They include recommendations to wash hands after touching animals, to keep food and drinks outside of animal areas, and to prevent children from putting their hands or objects (such as pacifiers or sippy-cups) in their mouths while interacting with the animals." Source:Infectious Disease Society of America
How Gross: Why Aren't Thinking (and washing)!
What I can't believe is that although 94 percent of the petting zoos had places for visitors to wash their hands:only 30 percent of the people who visited the petting zoos washed their hands--major Gastro mistake! And I bet lots of them stopped for a bite to eat on their way home, too, or enjoyed snacks on the ride home. Bad move if we don't want tummy bugs. See our hands are the most likely route of transmission of those petting zoo germs.
Speaking of food and drinks-- items that would come into contact with the mouths of infants and children were carried into the petting zoo at more than half the events.
Things like baby bottles, pacifiers, and baby toys were being used in the petting zoo, putting children who put them in their mouths at a higher risk for getting sick.
What Can We Do?
The study said that simple measures can be undertaken by zoo operators to reduce the risk of disease transmission.
These include:
--placing the hand hygiene stations at the exit of a petting zoo
--posting signs promoting hand hygiene
--making running water available so it's easy for people to wash
--removing animals which are about to or have just given birth because such animals are more likely to shed pathogens
--educating people about the risks associated with petting zoos may reduce the frequency with which food, beverages, or items that may end up in a child's mouth are brought into the zoo.
Here's What You Can Do
--wash hands after touching animals
--keep food and drinks outside of animal areas
--don't bring into the zoo area items that go in children's mouths (such as pacifiers or sippy-cups)
Happy (and clean) petting!
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