The children's International Festival sounds great, but organizers are taking a big risk by offering a petting zoo.
The public health and liability risks associated with such displays are very real. Petting zoos all over have been responsible for making people sick. Petting zoos are hotbeds of E. coli bacteria, and numerous children have been infected with the potentially deadly illness after visiting such displays. Infections can spread through direct animal contact or simply by touching the surroundings near an animal exhibit.
These displays are bad for animals, too. Forced to interact with constant streams of excited and sometimes careless children, animals in petting zoos can be stressed and afraid. If organizers want to avoid potential liability nightmares, they should stick with the contests and games and eliminate the petting zoo.
