Petting farm safety warning issued ahead of Easter

Health officials in England and Wales have warned people about the risk of catching harmful infections from animals.

Public Health Wales said it was important that people do not pick up, cuddle, kiss, or handle lambs during Easter outings to farms and petting attractions.

In 2025, about 80 cases of cryptosporidium were recorded at one farm in South Wales. Cryptosporidiosis is an infection often linked to contact with farm animals. The parasite can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and stomach cramps and can be serious for young children and vulnerable groups. Symptoms usually start two to 10 days after contact with the parasite and can last for up to two weeks.

Precautions include washing hands thoroughly with warm running water and liquid soap after touching animals, fences, or surfaces. Hand gels and wipes are not effective substitutes.

Seasonal increase
Farms offering public access during lambing season should try to reduce infection risks by providing handwashing stations with hot and cold water, soap, and paper towels as well as keeping lambs in enclosed pens and only allowing feeding from outside the enclosure.

A similar warning was issued by Worcestershire County Council with adults asked to supervise children to make sure they wash their hands properly.

Each spring, there is a sharp rise in reported cases of Cryptosporidium, a disease spread by animals, with cattle, sheep and goats being the main carriers.

Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows there were 4,149 Cryptosporidium infections in England in 2025. In 2024, 24 outbreaks were linked to lambing events or open petting farms.

Professor Lisa McNally, director of public health for Worcestershire, said it’s important to remember farm environments can carry germs that make people unwell.

“Bugs such as cryptosporidium, E. coli and Salmonella are commonly found on animals and the surfaces around them, even when they look clean. They can easily be picked up through simple hand-to-mouth contact,” she said.

“Lambing season brings an extra risk, as cryptosporidium can be passed on very easily from young animals. The best protection is thorough handwashing with soap and warm water as soon as you finish handling animals and always before eating.”

Easter chocolate warning
Meanwhile, Staffordshire County Council has asked people to remain vigilant when purchasing foods this Easter, particularly confectionery, that could contain banned or unauthorized ingredients.

Officers from the council’s trading standards service want shoppers to be cautious when buying items from informal sellers such as social media platforms, pop-up shops or markets, or unverified online retailers.

The council has seen a rise in food products with non-compliant labeling, missing allergen information or unauthorized ingredients, making them potentially unsafe. Issues range from missing traceability details or address information to counterfeit and misleading branding of well-known products.

Anthony Screen, cabinet member for community safety and resilience at Staffordshire County Council, said: “These foods can look harmless, but many bypass essential checks that protect consumers. Products containing unauthorized ingredients or undeclared allergens can be extremely dangerous, especially for children or anyone with food allergies. If a food item does not have clear English labeling, including an ingredient list and allergen information, our advice is simple: do not buy it and do not eat it.”

Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/04/petting-farm-safety-warning-issued-ahead-of-easter/