How to Start a Petting Zoo Business

Petting zoo business is a delightful business, wherein all your customers are bound to leave with a smile. A petting zoo business won't make you a millionaire, but will help you earn a healthy annual income. Petting zoo requires a lot of skill and knowledge to handle the zoo animals and operate the zoo. The traditional animals which feature in a petting zoo are sheep, goats, horses, ponies, donkeys, ducks, doves, chickens, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, cows, rabbits and deer. The following guidelines will help you in answering the question; 'How to start a petting zoo business?'.

Area Requirements
The most important part of starting a petting zoo is the facility for housing the animals. You need to have at least a 10 acre area to start your zoo. The place should be within city limits so that its easier for parents to bring their children. Also, you should make sure of all the legalities involved, that is, if the location has no restrictions on housing certain animals. If you want to run a business from your home, tax, permit, licenses and other related requirements should be taken care of.

Legal Formalities
You should choose a name for your business and register it at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), that is, at the federal level and the Department of Revenue at the state level. You will need a liability insurance for operating a petting zoo, which will cover your assets in case an injury occurs at your petting zoo. A Class C Exhibitor's License issued from the Department of Agriculture is required for operating a zoo and transportation of animals, for educational purposes. A permit from the city's local authorities for displaying animals is also needed.

Selection of Animals
The next important requirement is animals. You need to buy pets based on the space you have at your facility. You should choose animals that are easy to care and are not found easily as pets at homes. Calculate the cost of caring for the animals. It may be necessary sometimes for them to share cages or the outdoor spaces. Therefore, it is important to choose animals that will interact and live mutually without any issue with each other. Animals that are comfortable around humans and don't mind being touched or ridden by strangers should be chosen. Also, animals who are not a threat to children should be kept in your petting zoo. You can visit a local farm or a vet for advice.

Housing the Animals
Once you have selected and bought your animals, get your house and facility ready before their arrival. Make sure you have properly demarcated the areas and cages where every individual animal or a group of animals are to be housed. It is advisable to have a shed area or barn area where animals are housed and a display area where visitors can meet the animals. Build proper fences to limit run-aways and proper shades so that the animals are safe from bad weather and rains. Vaccinate all your animals from potential diseases that can strike all species. Take care of their health and keep those animals which are sick, away from the display area.

Area for Displaying Animals
Choose an area where you can display your petting zoo. It should be decorated with a theme that will be fun for the kids and matches the petting zoo idea. This area has to be safe for the kids and the pet animals. Display sign boards with proper instructions and point out from the start the guidelines required while petting an animal and that harassment of the animals won't be tolerated.

Petting Zoo Timings and Fees
Schedule the display timings of your petting zoo. You and your animals should be available at the stipulated time. Decide on the ticket price or entry fee you will be charging from parents and children.

Marketing Your Petting Zoo
Place ads in the local newspapers and give flyers to the local grocery stores and supermarkets for advertising your petting zoo. Mention the address, contact number, animals on display, entry fee, etc. in the advertisements. Contact the local schools and nurseries and let them know about your petting zoo. It is important to have a proper marketing strategy to build patrons for your petting zoo.

Mobile Petting Zoo
You can even start a mobile petting zoo. You will need a trailer to hold the cages and pens. A large truck will be needed to carry these trailers and transport your animals to different locations like birthday parties, fairs, carnivals and schools. There are facilities which provide these traveling equipments on lease. Once your mobile zoo business increases, it would be more profitable to invest and buy your own trailers and trucks. You will also need equipments like fences that can easily be erected and taken down. This will be helpful for containing the animals in one place when you take them to fairs and birthday parties.

Hiring Staff
It is very essential you have enough hands to take care of your zoo. The cages, pens and sheds need to be cleaned regularly and animals need to be fed and provided clean water everyday. Sick animals need to be tended and taken care of. Thus, you will have to hire staff to help you run your zoo smoothly. Also, someone should be around each cage or animal display area at all times to keep a watch on the animals and the visitors.

Amenities for Visitors
You should have a toilet build or a mobile toilet unit will suffice. This is to keep visitors from using bathrooms in your house. You should provide an area where they can wash their hands and also place some picnic tables or make a seating arrangement for the visitors. Be firm with the rules to be followed in your display area and while petting animals. Keep the shed area of the animals off limits from visitors. The safety of your animals and the children visiting is your responsibility.

Adding Personal Touch
You need to be understanding and capable of easily building rapport with the children. You should be able to communicate well with the adults in order to make them and the children understand the requirements while petting and riding an animal.

You can enjoy this pleasurable business as an hobby or a serious business venture. Make sure you follow all the rules and regulations set by the federal and state governments regarding a petting zoo business. Take care of your animals or you may land up with a notice from the animal rights activists. Never overlook the safety of the animals and children and never leave the kids alone around animals. Petting zoo business is more than just petting sheep and riding ponies, its a business that encompasses pleasure and responsibility.