Dangran There is a very good reason why farms are worried about children staying on farms. The next three paragraphs summarised results of a report on people becoming ill after visiting petting farms.
"Between 1992 and 2009 there were 55 outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases linked to petting farms. Over 1,300 people caught illnesses ranging from severe diarrhea to more serious conditions. The majority needed hospital treatment.
Children under the age of 10 were disproportionally affected because they are more vulnerable to serious illness from these infections, particularly E. coli O157. Children under the age of five are also more likely to pick up these infections because of poor personal hygiene–for example, at that age they are more prone to sticking fingers, thumbs or toys into their mouths.
Contributory factors included direct contact with pre-weaned animals–such as lambs, calves and kid goats–or direct contact with the animal feces of animals such as cattle, sheep and goats. Inadequate hand washing facilities at the farms was another important factor."
Petting farms nowadays have washing facilities and notices telling you to use them everywhere. A working farm can provide none of these facilities or safety measures and do not want to risk being sued if a child becomes very seriously ill after staying on farm.
Incidentally alcohol-based gels often used to clean hands are ineffective against these animal based illnesses, Hands must be washed in soap and water.
