Contact with Animals in Public Settings

Contact with animals in public settings (for example, at fairs, educational farms, petting zoos, aquariums, and schools) can provide entertainment and education. Interacting with animals can help people learn about and experience animals they may not see in their daily lives. However, it is important to know that animals sometimes carry germs that could make people sick—even animals at exhibits that look clean and healthy can carry these harmful germs. There are outbreaks of illness in people every year after they visit animals in exhibits. These outbreaks can have substantial medical, public health, legal, and economic effects.

State public health veterinarians are the local and state professionals who regularly work with physicians, emergency rooms,veterinarians, legislators, local officials, schools, health departments, and communities on preventing and controlling diseases that people can get from animals and animal products. CDC works closely with the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) to create guidance and recommendations for visitors to animal exhibits as well as people who manage or design exhibits.