How to Start a Petting Zoo

Part 1 - How to start a Petting Zoo business - Background

A petting zoo provides a space where customers can pet an assortment of small animals. Petting zoo animals may include goats, llamas, sheep, and other friendly animals. Such businesses are usually favored by children but enjoyed by clients of all ages. A petting zoo may be in a standing location or may specialize in providing animals for parties and other special events.

Our guide is in 3 parts:

• Part 1 - How to start a Petting Zoo business - Background
• Part 2 - Our planner tool to see if this idea is the right fit for you
• Part 3 - Action plan to get started

What are the costs involved in opening a petting zoo?

The cost of opening your business can vary greatly, starting with where it is located and how big it is. If you are trying to secure ten acres, for instance (a good size for a petting zoo), you might pay $20,000 (if it is all considered farmland), $65,000 (If it is considered undeveloped land), or over a million dollars (if it is considered developed land).

Similarly, if you are having to build from scratch, it can cost between $15,000 to $100,000 to create the buildings to house and display your animals. You will need to get liability insurance as well, which will likely be a minimum of $4,000. You will also need a Class “C” license from the government to exhibit animals; this costs between $30 and $300 depending on how many animals you have. The final cost to consider is the cost of the animals themselves, which varies greatly (goats alone can range between $75 to $300 per animal), and the starting salaries of your staff (which will vary based on size, but is worth budgeting at least $5,000 for).

It should be noted that if you have an opportunity to buy or lease an existing farm or other space to accommodate your animals, the starting costs may be much lower.

What are the ongoing expenses for a petting zoo?

The ongoing expense for a petting zoo varies based on its size, the size of the staff, the amount of the animals, and so on. A good analogue would be a small farm, which might have expenses of $5,000 a month. This goes towards mortgage (about $1,500), electricity and utilities (about $2,000), insurance payment ($500 or so), and animal food and assorted supplies ($1,000). Again, the exact amount will vary based on the size of the zoo.

Who is the target market?

Generally, your preferred clients are families. Petting zoos are always a hit with young children who end up bringing their parents and other relatives into the business.

How does a petting zoo make money?

Most petting zoos make money by charging a fee at the door. If you do “rent out” animals to parties and other events, that should be charged as a separate, higher fee.

How much can you charge customers?

Ultimately, your pricing should be competitive with other businesses in your area. With that in mind, a typical cost would be $10 to $20 per adult to visit your zoo, with a lower cost for children below a certain age. If you bring animals to birthday parties or other events, you may consider charging $100 to $200 per hour.

How much profit can a petting zoo make?

The exact profitability of a petting zoo is difficult to gauge. On one hand, zoos in general can be profitable, with the collective non-profit zoos and aquariums in America bringing in $2.6 billion per year. On the other hand, some zoos are much more profitable than others, and there is little research about average petting zoo income. You can potentially increase your revenue by selling animals, growing and selling crops on your land, and otherwise taking advantage of the land you have access to.

How can you make your business more profitable?

As mentioned above, you can offer other services on the land you have available. Your petting zoo may also offer pony rides, for instance, and you might partner with the local 4H Club to help people store and take care of their own animals. Beyond this, make sure that you market year-round, and emphasize that a petting zoo is utterly unlike anything kids or parents can access at home. By emphasizing you are a unique experience, you can help secure steadier traffic.

Day-to-Day and Growth

What happens during a typical day at a petting zoo?

Part of your job involves feeding/taking care of the animals and cleaning the areas they are housed in so they are presentable. When customers arrive, you must entertain them and supervise their interactions with the animals (particularly young children). If you “rent out” the animals, part of your job will be to transport them to parties and set up their temporary enclosures which must later be cleaned and transported back. Finally, “down time” is typically spent working on new ways to advertise the business.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful petting zoo?

Previous experience caring for animals (such as working at a zoo, on a farm, or as a veterinary assistant) is very helpful, as is any other job experience involving animals (such as working for a pet store).

What is the growth potential for a petting zoo?

The growth potential for such a business is moderate. In some areas, petting zoos are primarily a seasonal business, while they flourish year round in other places. As with many businesses, securing profitability and the potential to grow larger hinges on finding a specific niche for your region. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics sees the animal care and service field in general growing by eleven percent by 2024.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a petting zoo?

Make sure that you have a niche, offering something your local community does not have easy access to. Considering offering those aforementioned “extra” services, such as providing animals for parties and/or allowing people to pay for special events at the zoo itself. Finally, don’t miss an opportunity to both make money and advertise your business at the local and state fairs.

How and when to build a team

Unlike other businesses, you will need a team immediately for this job. This is because taking care of your animals is not something limited to traditional business hours, and you will want to be able to rotate duties so you and others do not get exhausted.

Part 2 - Is a Petting Zoo business the right fit for you?

Part 3 - Action plan to launch your Petting Zoo business in 90 days