WNCT-TV 9 News reports that for many families, the word “E. coli” hasn’t stopped them from stepping in, reaching out or even feeding animals at petting zoos. However, new precautions are being taken to keep visitors safer.
New regulations for petting zoo owners say there must be a walkway around the fenced animal area so that way people outside of the fence can’t touch the animals. There also must only be one way in and out, that’s so they can control who is coming and make sure they wash their hands when they leave.
Pitt County Fair director Kenneth Ross has taken it one step further. He’s trading in his petting zoo for a “children’s barn yard”. “We decided to do something a little different,” he said. “We’ll have a child activity area. It’s going to be real nice. They can play in the sand box they can shop at our grocery store…they will even have a place to dig for sharks teeth.”
The goal, Ross says, is to not put fun for kids at risk, by creating plenty of other things to do instead.
