Avoid Unnecessary Infection At Petting Zoos With These Handy Hints

Children are enamored of animals of all shapes and sizes and when they can get up close and personal, it’s even better. They love the petting zoos in the county fairs and rodeos and farm animal exhibitions are fun for them. Kids get to learn all sorts of things by interacting with animals.

There is just one problem when it comes to interacting personally with animals. You and your kids could become ill! Animals naturally carry germs that are harmful to you such as salmonella, E. coli and even leptospirosis. When you don’t wash your hands after petting an animal, you are at risk of picking up one of these or many other illnesses. In addition, bringing food into an area that houses animals can contaminate it with airborne germs. Even children’s pacifiers and bottles are at risk of picking up airborne germs.

When it comes to petting zoos and animal exhibits, there are some precautions you can take to ensure that the only thing you return home with is a good time. Here are some handy hints to avoiding infections when handling animals:

1. Find out where to wash your hands. Many petting zoos and animal exhibits will have a hand washing station right outside the gates. Always make sure that you and your children wash your hands with soap and water. Lather up and rub your soapy hands together for at least a minute or two to thoroughly kill germs.

2. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if you are stuck in a place where there are no hand washing stations or bathrooms nearby. Squirt a dollop in your hands and rub together in between the fingers and under the nail area until the gel dries. Repeat with your children if they petted any animals or even came in close contact.

3. Do not touch your face near your mouth, eyes and nose after petting an animal. Doing so can introduce and spread infectious bacteria into your body. Always wash your hands first.

4. If your or your children drop anything while in the petting zoo or animal exhibit, wash the item off immediately. Pacifiers, baby bottles, sippy cups and even keys can all spread germs.

5. When visiting an animal exhibit, do not sample any unpasteurized dairy products as they can have harmful bacteria in it. In addition, do not share any food with the animals. Sometimes, petting zoo officials might provide an apple or carrot to children to feed the animals. Make sure that your child is not tempted to sample the food along with the animals.

Erring on the side of caution is always important when trying to avoid illness, particularly those that can be the result of animal contact. Young children in particular are vulnerable and have weaker immune systems. Therefore, any illness caused from such bacteria as E. coli or salmonella can have detrimental effects on a child. Therefore, practice diligence with hand washing hygiene when visiting or coming into contact with animals such as those in a petting zoo, county fair or any other situation, for that matter.

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