PETTING ZOO FEEDING EVENT GAVE CHILDREN ‘LIFE THREATENING’ ILLNESSES
The owner of a petting zoo has been ordered to pay more than £20,000 after hundreds of visitors were infected with a dangerous parasite.
Farm owner Sharon Wheeler, 60, appeared in court after visitors to her petting zoo experienced severe stomach issues leading to vomiting and diarrhoea.
A total of 264 people – more than half of whom were children – were infected by the Cryptosporidium parasite after attending a bottle feeding event at the petting zoo on the Isle of Wight.
Five per cent of those infected were admitted to hospital for overnight stays, where parents “feared that their child would not recover” from the “life-threatening” illness.
Wheeler, the owner of Hazelgrove Farm on the Isle of Wight, pleaded guilty to a safety offence after children were observed kissing goats which were visibly covered in faecal matter at a petting zoo event.
Adults were also affected, with 1,254 working days lost because of illness or caring responsibilities.
It was caused by cryptosporidiosis, which affects people and farm animals, and causes abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, and nausea.
A joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) traced the infections back to the farm.
They found that Wheeler had hosted an animal bottle-feeding event at the farm, where more than 30 per cent of attendees were infected.
Visitors could purchase a bottle of milk to feed to a lamb or goat kid, and 2,400 tickets were sold between April 4 to May 1 2023 for the animal feeding event.
Victims suffered multiple hospital stays
The investigation found many failings at the event that led to the outbreak.
These included “inadequate washing and drying facilities” – partly because reusable washcloths were used – and “insufficient information and instruction to employees and visitors”.
They also found “inadequate control and supervision of visitor contact with animals” as children were seen kissing animals that were visibly contaminated with faecal matter.
Some victims reported continuing gastrointestinal issues since the event, with some suffering multiple hospital stays.
Wheeler, from Ryde, pleaded guilty to a safety offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at Southampton magistrates’ court, Hants, and was fined £8,000.
She was also ordered to pay costs of £9,528.35 and a surcharge of £3,200.
In her judgement, District Judge Rachel Galloway reflected on the victims’ “psychological toll experienced and PTSD”, “the fact that the illness was life threatening” and “the fear that a child affected would not recover”.
‘Extremely important’ farmers understand farm risks
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Francesca Arnold said: “It is extremely important that farmers understand the risks on their farm, and they should ensure that visitors are protected when inviting the public onto their farms.
“Health risks from contact with the animals need attention and must be controlled.
“If the zoonotic risks had been properly controlled this incident could have been avoided, but the failures during the animal feeding activity meant a large number of visitors became ill and some suffered lasting effects.
“As with most activities, visits to farms and farm attractions can never be considered free from risk.
“However, it is possible to reduce the levels of risk by implementing control measures and safe practices to ensure that workers and members of the public are not put at risk and still provide a valuable and enjoyable recreational and educational experience.”
2025-11-13T14:20:40Z
