How to start a petting zoo business

A petting zoo business requires a lot of skill, knowledge, proficiency, and orderliness to operate and manage. It is quite costly and one should be aware of the liability they may encounter in case they decide to venture into this business. It can either be a mobile or traveling petting zoo whereby you take the animals to different locations or a permanent petting zoo.

Starting basic requirements

The business starting cost is approximately between $2,000 and $5,000 if you already have the animals. This cost however, does not cover advertising, licenses, permits, animal care, and insurance fees for liability coverage. You need at least a 10 acre area with no restrictions on housing certain animals to start the zoo. As a minimum, you should be able to maintaining the animals' shelter, provide daily social interaction and maintaining health standards for the animals and the environment.

Legal requirements

Like any other business, you need to register the petting zoo. After choosing a name for the business, register it with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) both at the federal level and the Department of Revenue at the state level. You need a liability insurance which will cover your assets in case an injury occurs at your petting zoo. For educational purposes, you need a Class C Exhibitor's License issued from the Department of Agriculture. This will cover the zoo operation and transportation of animals. You also require a permit from the city's local authorities for displaying animals. If it is an exotic petting zoo, then you need to get permits for all exotic animals as required by law.

Buying the animals

You can get most of the petting zoo animals from a local farm. However, ensure that they are a licensed vendor who is fully qualified. Examine their legal credentials to make certain that they are updated by a state commission or government-sponsored organization.  When selecting the animals, choose those that are interactive, people-friendly, well-behaved around other animals, have been properly cared for by the previous owner and disease-free. Select animals that are not found easily as pets at homes and are easy to care for.

Housing the animals

Ensure you properly demarcate the areas and cages for every individual animal or a group of animals. It is advisable to separate the shed or barn area where animals are housed and the display area where visitors meet the animals. The animals need to be protected from bad weather and rains so the shades need to be properly built. To minimise run-aways, ensure you enclose the shade with fences.

Transportation

You need cages and pens to separate the animals during transport. You then need a trailer or a truck to carry them and a large vehicle to pull the trailer. For a start, you could lease the equipment but as time goes by, it is advisable to buy your own. In order to contain the animals in one place once you reach your destination, you require fences that can easily be erected and taken down.

Staff hiring

In order to smoothly run the zoo, you need extra hands in caring for the animals. On a daily basis, the animals need to be fed and provided with clean drinking water in addition to cleaning the cages, pens and sheds. You need at least one person around each cage to watch the animals and the visitors during the display. You may also need additional staff to help with the book keeping, ticketing and marketing of the petting zoo.

Marketing

Proper marketing strategy is essential for business growth and to attract customers. You need to target venues that parents are most likely to use when planning birthday parties for their children. Contact nurseries and schools in your area and let them know about your petting zoo. As you place the advertisements in the local newspapers or fliers to the supermarkets and local grocery stores, ensure you include the address, contact number, animals on display, entry fee, etc.

Visitors’ amenities

Ensue you have a toilet build or a mobile toilet unit will suffice separate from the bathrooms you use for your family or house. Make some sitting arrangements for the visitors and/or provide picnic tables. Ensure you have an area where they can wash their hands. Make sure the rules and guidelines are strictly followed by the visitors so as to avoid unnecessary injuries to either the animals or to the visitors. A general rules is to keep the animals’ shade area off-limits for the visitors.