Tucker is a young Guernsey steer who was purchased by a petting zoo operator shortly after his birth. A mother and daughter who became attached to him visited him frequently at the petting zoo. They were alarmed when they arrived one day and Tucker was being loaded onto a truck. The petting zoo operator told the family that Tucker was going to auction. Instead, the woman purchased him and tucker has been with us ever since.
Purchasing “cute” baby animals and sending them to slaughter at the end of the season is a common petting zoo practice. First, zoo operators don’t want the expense or effort of caring for animals over the winter; second, the animals will no longer be cute and little the following season, and cute, little animals are necessary to attract business. Please support sanctuaries, not petting zoos!
