Regional petting zoos seek funding and volunteers

Petting zoos in the Netherlands and Belgium are seeking financial support and volunteer engagement to maintain operations and improve educational offerings.

In Alkmaar, the De Rekerhout petting zoo is requesting 300,000 euros from the local municipality to address structural issues, including leaking roofs and aging wooden and reed buildings. The new board aims to modernize the facility to better teach children about nature and improve accessibility for visitors with disabilities. The site also serves as a community meeting point via its tea house.

In West Flanders, several petting zoos are collaborating to recruit volunteers for animal care, site maintenance, and visitor guidance. To support this effort, a free training session titled ‘Safe interaction with animals’ will be held in Torhout on November 26. Participating locations include De Gitsberg in Hooglede-Gits, 7 Torentjes in Bruges, d'Oude Smelterij in Torhout, and Bokkeslot.