During
the summer, family outings often include a trip to the
zoo or the county fair. Since these outings expose
us to different species of animals some precautions to
prevent illness include:
Hand
washing is the single most important prevention step
for reducing disease transmission after touching
animals or animal enclosures.
Stop
to eat and drink before going to visit the animals
rather than doing so during or after. No food
or beverages should be allowed in animal areas.
Children
should be closely supervised during contact with
animals to discourage contact with animal droppings
and soiled bedding. Hand to mouth contact
(thumb-sucking, nail biting, etc.) should also be
discouraged.
Make
sure the animals and petting areas are clean and
well kept. If there are a lot of animal
droppings in the petting area or the animals are
extremely dirty, its best not to visit.
Have
children change their clothes after petting the
animals. Clothing and shoes can become
contaminated when a child leans on a railing or
walks through mud.
~CDC