Sanctuary Stories
These Goats Want You to Know Petting Zoos Aren’t Happy Places
Rescued from a zoo that’s since been shut down, 3 little goats finally have a respite from the stress and anxiety of their past life
With pandemic restrictions lifting in many regions across North America, one animal sanctuary owner wants parents of stir-crazy kids to reconsider a classic outdoor summer activity: petting zoos. Wendy Lee Riley, owner of R and R Ranch Sanctuary in BC, Canada, would rather parents and children learn of Paddy, Shamus and Nanny, the three little goats who offer a message that petting zoos are not the innocent family fun they are made out to be.
The petting zoo that Paddy, Shamus and Nanny originated from “was one of those typical ‘take the baby when they are a couple of hours old, stick them in a pen, and let kids chase them around for hours’” type places,” Riley explains. She’s grateful that the zoo is now shut down, and that when it did, Paddy, Shamus and Nanny eventually found their way to her. But before arriving at the sanctuary, a family first acquired the three goats, and kept them in their backyard. “It was obviously a step up from the petting zoo, but not the best setting for them,” says Riley, who soon got a call from the family seeking…
