# Petting zoo



## missbopeep (Sep 4, 2014)

Hey guys I have a question. I recently began a seasonal job at a petting zoo. I am 16 years old but I have been breeding meat goats for two years. I checked the eyes of some of the goats in the petting zoo and was horrified to find the eye lids were almost white! I told my boss the goats needed to be wormed pronto, and they think I am too young to know what I am talking about.. What should I do? Do you think it is too late to worm them? Should I even try? 
Thanks 
Hannah


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Print out some info from the web. Don't use this forum because they are going to say it's a bunch of quacks. LOL You can find the famacha chart and print it out for them. Approach them as....I'm trying to learn and found this.


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## missbopeep (Sep 4, 2014)

Thank you! I just was genuinely concerned for their animals! They also have decided to not feed any of the animals on the weekends.. I don't know what kind of sense this makes but they have a Calf who is close to starvation and I think it needs to be eating all day at least on hay. The woman broke up a wheat straw bale for it to eat.... I don't think they really know what they are doing but I'm doing everything I can to help


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## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

Id be frightened to work in a place that had so little understanding of animals and their needs. Kudos to you for trying to help them out . I hope they are willing to learn eventually or they are going to turn into neglect cases


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Obviously people who don't care about animals. I bet they would be hungry if they got no food all weekend.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Sad thing is that anyone who sees those poor animals gets the idea that is how ALL animal treat their animals. Grrr.....makes you angry. Good luck with these people but it sounds like you are going to deal with a lot of heartache in that job


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## missbopeep (Sep 4, 2014)

Thank you guys. It makes me feel really sad for the animals and I'm just hoping maybe they will start to care more about them!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree.

You are not too young to know what you are seeing and more educated it seems, than the Zoo owners. that must be very frustrating.
I am sorry they do not see your inteleigence and caring for these animals.
They apparently hired you to help care for these animals right? I would think they would at least try to hear what you are saying.
I know you are in a bad situation and these are not your goats to be able to start treatment. 
If I were to try to get something done, animal control could be notified, but you may not have a job afterwards. So it make things harder I know.

Petting zoo owner needs to take care of the animals, if they doubt your opinion, have them talk to a vet about the meaning of white gums.
All those animals are at great risk and will die without treatment. Maybe put this in the petting zoo owners head, 
what kind of petting zoo will it be, if all are dead? No goats, no petting zoo. 

Do you know of anyone, that is friends with his person, to maybe be able to get it through their heads these goats are in critical condition?

If they can get fecal for worms and cocci, would also help understand what the cause is. Make sure to check for lice.
They should have treatment for the cause ASAP Along with red cell to rebuild their blood. 

Depending on the wormer used, it is the safest bet to start by injecting it, rather than giving it orally, so no bleed out will not happen, if they are white in color.

If this is a petting zoo, by rights, they should have healthy animals, that irritates me they are so ill.

We are not quacks here by the way. I don't have a bill or waddle, LOL


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

I agree with what has been said... 

Sadly.. A lot of petting zoos are that way.. I know one near me, they truly don't care for those goats... I know someone who worked there at one point, and they had multiple does kidding, one doe, two kids were trying to come out together.. This person that I knew didn't know how to fix it at the time, asked the owner for help and he told her to leave them, and move on to the next doe..  that doe and the kids died.. Their goats aren't even that healthy looking, have runny poos ect.. It's sad how some are!  
And Pam.. If all the goats were to die.. They would just buy more.. They just don't care! They can easily get free goats, or dirt cheap kids from dairies...  

We have one guy who buys all out and wethers, he has a traveling petting zoo, and thankfully he takes great care of them and is in contact with his vet often  but most aren't like that from what I've seen...  

And ROFL about the Quacks! :laugh:


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## missbopeep (Sep 4, 2014)

Thank you guys for believing in me! I'm doing my best to for them and I will keep y'all posted on what is happening.. I'm leaving a famancha print out in their mailbox and I'm sorry but I am going to feed the animals even if I loose my job... I signed up to take care of them not watch them starve and be frustrated.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

It is a sad situation and you are a very good person to care so much for them. Good luck. :hug:


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