INTRODUCTION
These voluntary recommendations offer effective way to minimize the risk to human health and safety from contact with animals.
IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PERSONS AND INFANTS UNDER 1 SHOULD AVOID TOUCHING OR FEEDING ANIMALS.
Children under five should not come in contact with reptiles, amphibians, birds, young ruminants (i.e., under six months old) or their immediate environment, because these animals shed proportionally more disease-causing agents.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Proper hand-washing , all caregivers to supervise/assist children to ensure their hands are washed properly.
- Proper use of alcohol-based hand-sanitizers.
- Teachers and/ or caregivers should consult with parents to determine if there are children in the school who have allergies/asthma, phobias, or are immunocompromised.
- Teachers and/ or caregivers should find out which animals are being displayed at the event, which may be touched, what hand hygiene facilities are available, and whether the hand hygiene facilities are accessible to small children or students with disabilities.
- Teachers and/ or caregivers should discuss supervision with accompanying caregivers, to ensure these recommendations are followed.
- Teachers and/ or caregivers should instruct children not to tease, hit or chase the animals, not to get too close to or get between an animal and its food or its young, not to make loud noises or sudden movements.
- Teachers and/ or caregivers should supervise human-animal contact, particularly for children under 5. Risks can be reduced if young children are closely supervised or if adults carry them when in animal areas.
- Teachers and/ or caregivers should ensure children wash their hands – under adult supervision – after contact with animals, animal products, or animal environments, and before eating or drinking.
- Teachers and/ or caregivers should cover children’s open wounds to avoid contamination of the wound with disease-causing agents.
- Teachers and/ or caregivers should wash pacifiers, toys or other objects that have fallen to the ground, or have been in contact with animals, with soap and running water before giving them back to children.
- Teachers and/ or caregivers should discourage children from: sucking fingers or objects, kissing the animals, touching own mouth with hands, eating any food, including food intended for animals, or wiping their hands on clothing when in animal areas.
- Teachers and/ or caregivers should immediately report any injuries from displayed animals.
SOURCES
Simcoe Muskoka Health District Unit. Recommendations to prevent diseasehttps://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/docs/default-source/jfy-businesses/recommendations_to_prevent_disease_and_injury_associated_with_petting_zoos_final and injury associated with petting zoos in Ontario, March 2009 Available at:
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care: Recommendations to preventhttps://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/oph_standards/docs/reference/Petting_Zoos_2018_en.pdf disease and injury associated with petting zoos in Ontario, February 2011. Available at: