Farm & Country Park Visits - Advice to visitors
Many people visit farms and country parks where they get quite close or even have contact with animals. This is usually an enjoyable experience especially for children, however a few children may fall ill as a result of being unaware of the risks associated with these visits.
Some diseases can be spread from animals to humans. These diseases are known as zoonoses. They include cryptosporidium, salmonella, campylobacter, listeria, E.Coli 0157 and many others. The germs that cause them are found in the faeces and urine and on the skin of many animals found on farms. They can also be found on equipment and structural surfaces close to animals.
Symptoms are many and varied, but may include sickness, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, headaches & fever.
Children are most vunerable as they are often less aware of the need for good personal hygiene.
Pregnant woman are especially at risk in areas where calving or lambing has taken place.
Do's & Don'ts
Young children should be discouraged from having any physical contact with the animals as most infections are passed via hand to mouth contact.
Feeding and stroking animals
- Always supervise children while they are close to the animals.
- Always supervise handwashing after touching animals and again before eating.
- Do not allow children to suck their fingers.
- Do not allow animals to lick children's fingers or faces. Wash hands and face if this happens.
- Do not kiss animals.
- Ensure any cuts or abrasions are covered with a waterproof plaster.
- Minimise contact with animals, their droppings or objects which may have been in contact with animals.
Mealtimes
- Do wash hands thoroughly before eating.
- Do not eat in areas contaminated with droppings.
- Do not take food or drink into animal enclosures.
- Do not feed the animals with picnic foods.
- Do not drink any raw milk or unpasteurised "farm milk".
- Do not taste or eat any animal feedstuffs.
- Do not drink water unless from a tap which is marked as suitable for drinking.
Pre- visit checklist
When arranging a visit to a farm or country park you would be advised to ask the following questions:
- Are there adequate hand washing facilities which are well sign posted?
- Are there toilets provided specifically for visitors?
- Do the farm staff help with supervision of children?
- Are the picnic areas regularly cleaned?
- Are picnic areas inaccessible to farm animals?
- Are separate drinking water taps provided?
Farm & Country Park Visits - Advice to Farmers etc.
This information is taken from the HSE Agriculture Information Sheet
- Keep the farm/park as clean as practicable.
- Prevent visitors from entering restricted areas using fencing etc.
- Consider if it is sensible to allow animals to be fed and/or petted.
- Position eating areas away from animal contact areas.
- Provide washing facilities at animal contact areas, eating areas and exits to the farm/park.
- Washing facilities should be easily accessible with running water, liquid soap and a means of drying hands. They should be adequately maintained and kept clean.
- Direct visitors to washing facilities before they enter eating areas (including potential picnic areas) and before they leave the farm/park. Prevent routes where visitors may have to cross tracks regularly used by stock.
- Forbid eating and drinking in animal contact areas.
- Place the following signs in appropriate prominent positions:
- signs highlighting the need for good hygiene.
- signs for washing facilities and instructions on correct hand washing.
- signs requesting that food/drink only be consumed in designated areas.
- Train staff on what visitors should and should not do and how to explain the importance of good hygiene.
- Provide adequate supervision in animal contact areas and prevent eating occurring in these areas.
- Children should be supervised when washing their hands.
- Discourage visitors from touching their mouths with their fingers or from kissing animals.
- Check the condition/health of animals regularly. Remove any ill or stressed animals from animal contact areas.
- Do not place animals who have just given birth in animal contact areas.
- Keep animals as clean as possible.
- Keep manure or compost heaps away from visitor areas.