So, I am processing something I experienced at the Brockton Fair last night. The "petting zoo" - a…read moreusual favorite of mine - contained the following animals: at least two dozen goats, maybe 5 alpacas, three sheep (so far seems pretty normal for a petting zoo, right), a zebra, a camel, a kangaroo, three small monkeys, a few cockatoos, two porcupines, and a tortoise. The kangaroo looked absolutely irate as it was sharing a pretty small fenced in area with a tortoise. The enclosures were clean, had plenty of water, and were strewn with hay. You could purchase a cup of carrots or a handful of grain to feed the goats and alpacas only.
The other, more exotic animals were sort of caged off in a back area where you could see them but not access them. The public couldn't interact with the up close, which is good.
I made eye contact with an alpaca with really messed up teeth and I nearly broke down in tears. I swear he was asking for a happier existence, not one where loud, screaming kids, and a handful of drunken adults can get into his space. Further, the zoo was set up right next to the sound stage, where different bands play every night of the fair. It is LOUD.
I have many questions but the main one is, how is this legal? Like I said, the animals looked OK, but are they happy? Where did Emerson Farm get the exotic animals? This just doesn't seem like an ideal life for these animals and it's going to take me a while to stop thinking about it.