I said no but feel mean..,

Macmad · Apr 8th, 2012, 02:17 AM

Ladies

I am home with my mum & dad at the moment on vacation in the UK. My LO has just turned 1 and obviously getting into more adventurous things. My mum has been looking at places to take her which is great. We will be coming home again in the summer for 4 weeks and she mentioned about taking her to Paignton Zoo. Now I've got a thing about zoo's, I really don't like the idea of those beautiful animals cooped up in cages. So I kinda just blurted out 'no'! But said why I wasn't keen on the idea. Do you think I am being mean to my LO and my mum for not letting her take her to the zoo?
I have no problems with petting farms as I feel the environment is much better. I just have a thing about zoo's and images of animals being treated badly.

daisydoo · Apr 8th, 2012, 02:24 AM

Hi Hun

At the end of the day its your baby, your decisions!!

However what I would say is zoo's aren't how they used to be. Many of the big 'proper' zoo's are now conservation areas and a lot of money and expense goes into ensuring the animals welfare is more than looked after and the staff who work there adore their animals and would never see them hurt or mistreated. Yes they would be better in their own habitat but unfortunately its a cruel world and they may not survive there. Each to their own for sure though xxxx (ps I would never go to see animals in a cirucs or any sort of unprofessional zoo though)

Baby France · Apr 8th, 2012, 02:31 AM

I agree with the above poster. We recently went to Chester Zoo with the kids and they loved it. More importantly though, the animals seemed happy too.

There are so many regulations and such nowadays that I think it highly unlikely a zoo to get away with keeping animals in poor conditions and if you saw something you weren't happy with, they I would without a shadow of a doubt complain and make sure that you did something about it.

But ultimately though, it is your decision and what you are comfortable with.

fluffpuffin · Apr 8th, 2012, 04:47 AM

I've been to Paignton zoo and it's really lovely - lots of open space and animals aren't cooped up in tiny cages. But at the end of the day it's up to you.

Personally I found Isla wasn't all that interested in the animals at that age. She's only really started taking an interest now. So I don't think your LO would be missing out as such.

2016 · Apr 8th, 2012, 06:37 AM

I don't like zoos either. I was encouraged to go to Colchester zoo by a friend who said it is a very good zoo with the animals looked after. I am sure it is but I still thought it was horrid. If that's what a nice zoo looks like I would hate to see a bad one.

I am originally from South Africa you see so grew up seeing the animals in the wild. It made it even more painfully obvious how unnatural the surroundings were and how it affected the animals behaviour. I mean a lion standing on a painted fibreglass rock? The wild spark was completely absent from his eye and it almost made him look unlike any lion I had seen before.

Not to mention the wolf chewing it's own leg raw or the chimp rocking and head banging with stress.

People often say to me that it's the only way LO might see these creatures and I say I'd rather he didn't see them like that.

I don't think those that do go to zoos are bad btw, each to his own, and I can understand why it looks fine if you don't know any different.

Thumper · Apr 8th, 2012, 12:12 PM

I'm not a zoo fan either. There's plenty things for them to do with your LO that would probably be more interesting anyway. And cheaper!

Sarahwoo · Apr 8th, 2012, 17:27 PM

Maybe compromise with a safari park?

Macmad · Apr 9th, 2012, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarahwoo

Maybe compromise with a safari park?

Great idea!

mabeth · Apr 9th, 2012, 15:11 PM

At her age she would probably be just as interested in looking round a pet shop. I took my daughter to Chester Zoo at age 18 months - she enjoyed a day out with mum and date but quite honestly the animals were not of particular interest and she was just as interested in the sparrows flying around as she was in the buzzards in the cage. She is of course your daughter and if you don't like zoos you have every right not to let her go but the zoo will still exist either way and maybe if your mum wants to take her?..........

Macmad · Apr 9th, 2012, 15:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mabeth

At her age she would probably be just as interested in looking round a pet shop. I took my daughter to Chester Zoo at age 18 months - she enjoyed a day out with mum and date but quite honestly the animals were not of particular interest and she was just as interested in the sparrows flying around as she was in the buzzards in the cage. She is of course your daughter and if you don't like zoos you have every right not to let her go but the zoo will still exist either way and maybe if your mum wants to take her?..........

Yeah I did say she could take her when she's older and just not tell me

think I'll wait till she's older and maybe take her to a safari park as someone suggested.

Apr 8th, 2012, 02:17 AM	#1
Macmad Other Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: British expat living in Saudi Arabia Posts: 1,715	I said no but feel mean.., Ladies I am home with my mum & dad at the moment on vacation in the UK. My LO has just turned 1 and obviously getting into more adventurous things. My mum has been looking at places to take her which is great. We will be coming home again in the summer for 4 weeks and she mentioned about taking her to Paignton Zoo. Now I've got a thing about zoo's, I really don't like the idea of those beautiful animals cooped up in cages. So I kinda just blurted out 'no'! But said why I wasn't keen on the idea. Do you think I am being mean to my LO and my mum for not letting her take her to the zoo? I have no problems with petting farms as I feel the environment is much better. I just have a thing about zoo's and images of animals being treated badly.

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Apr 8th, 2012, 02:24 AM	#2
daisydoo Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,096	Hi Hun At the end of the day its your baby, your decisions!! However what I would say is zoo's aren't how they used to be. Many of the big 'proper' zoo's are now conservation areas and a lot of money and expense goes into ensuring the animals welfare is more than looked after and the staff who work there adore their animals and would never see them hurt or mistreated. Yes they would be better in their own habitat but unfortunately its a cruel world and they may not survive there. Each to their own for sure though xxxx (ps I would never go to see animals in a cirucs or any sort of unprofessional zoo though)

Status: Offline

Apr 8th, 2012, 02:31 AM	#3
Baby France Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cuckoo Land! Posts: 9,659	I agree with the above poster. We recently went to Chester Zoo with the kids and they loved it. More importantly though, the animals seemed happy too. There are so many regulations and such nowadays that I think it highly unlikely a zoo to get away with keeping animals in poor conditions and if you saw something you weren't happy with, they I would without a shadow of a doubt complain and make sure that you did something about it. But ultimately though, it is your decision and what you are comfortable with.

Status: Offline

Apr 8th, 2012, 04:47 AM	#4
fluffpuffin Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: a German in the UK Posts: 12,728	I've been to Paignton zoo and it's really lovely - lots of open space and animals aren't cooped up in tiny cages. But at the end of the day it's up to you. Personally I found Isla wasn't all that interested in the animals at that age. She's only really started taking an interest now. So I don't think your LO would be missing out as such.

Status: Offline

Apr 8th, 2012, 06:37 AM	#5
2016 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Posts: 9,469	I don't like zoos either. I was encouraged to go to Colchester zoo by a friend who said it is a very good zoo with the animals looked after. I am sure it is but I still thought it was horrid. If that's what a nice zoo looks like I would hate to see a bad one. I am originally from South Africa you see so grew up seeing the animals in the wild. It made it even more painfully obvious how unnatural the surroundings were and how it affected the animals behaviour. I mean a lion standing on a painted fibreglass rock? The wild spark was completely absent from his eye and it almost made him look unlike any lion I had seen before. Not to mention the wolf chewing it's own leg raw or the chimp rocking and head banging with stress. People often say to me that it's the only way LO might see these creatures and I say I'd rather he didn't see them like that. I don't think those that do go to zoos are bad btw, each to his own, and I can understand why it looks fine if you don't know any different.

Status: Offline

Apr 8th, 2012, 12:12 PM	#6
Thumper Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: The Shire, England Posts: 3,115	I'm not a zoo fan either. There's plenty things for them to do with your LO that would probably be more interesting anyway. And cheaper!

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Apr 8th, 2012, 17:27 PM	#7
Sarahwoo Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Posts: 5,652	Maybe compromise with a safari park?

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Apr 9th, 2012, 15:11 PM	#9
mabeth Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 14	At her age she would probably be just as interested in looking round a pet shop. I took my daughter to Chester Zoo at age 18 months - she enjoyed a day out with mum and date but quite honestly the animals were not of particular interest and she was just as interested in the sparrows flying around as she was in the buzzards in the cage. She is of course your daughter and if you don't like zoos you have every right not to let her go but the zoo will still exist either way and maybe if your mum wants to take her?..........

Status: Offline

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