Dog Friendly Zoos

Pootle

Pootle

Well-Known Member
Besides Cotswold Wildlife Park, can anyone recommend a zoo, or similar where we can take our dog? Any UK locations mentioned appreciated. I thought it was wiser to ask the UK Zoo Chat population than trawl trough the websites. As a dog owner it is actually quite annoying how many attractions (non zoo) advertise as dog friendly, then turn out not to be upon further investigating.
 
Pootle said:
Besides Cotswold Wildlife Park, can anyone recommend a zoo, or similar where we can take our dog? Any UK locations mentioned appreciated. I thought it was wiser to ask the UK Zoo Chat population than trawl trough the websites. As a dog owner it is actually quite annoying how many attractions (non zoo) advertise as dog friendly, then turn out not to be upon further investigating.
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The European Union's BALAI Regulations which have to be adhered to, to allow any international animal movement, require any mammal entering a registered premises from a non-Approved body to be put into isolation for a month. This includes domestic dogs. So a BALAI Approved zoo is not legally allowed to permit entry. It would be interesting to know how the exemption you refer to was granted.
 
Pootle said:
Besides Cotswold Wildlife Park, can anyone recommend a zoo, or similar where we can take our dog? Any UK locations mentioned appreciated. I thought it was wiser to ask the UK Zoo Chat population than trawl trough the websites. As a dog owner it is actually quite annoying how many attractions (non zoo) advertise as dog friendly, then turn out not to be upon further investigating.
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Beware that some zoos now won't allow people to leave dogs in carpark areas either- for the dog's safety/wellbeing obviously. Twycross is one I know of that have adopted this policy. Wingham( I think it was) have a warning that cars are checked and advise you to check your dog yourself every thirty minutes. Dogs on zoo visits can be a problem if they can't be left at home.
 
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Andrew Swales said:
The European Union's BALAI Regulations which have to be adhered to, to allow any international animal movement, require any mammal entering a registered premises from a non-Approved body to be put into isolation for a month.
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Interesting stuff, especially since Prague and Hanover allow (pet) dogs in and are major players in the zoo world. I wonder how they also get around it?
 
London Zoo used to cater for guide dogs to be held in kennels near the entrance while the owner visited the zoo, but not any longer. However, they are thinking about reviewing their policy: "Assistance dogs are not currently permitted inside ZSL London Zoo because some of our animals react negatively to their presence. We are working with Guide Dogs UK to resolve this and hope to be able to welcome dogs to certain areas of the Zoo in the future." – from the website – no mention of BALAI regulations there.
 
volvox said:
London Zoo used to cater for guide dogs to be held in kennels near the entrance while the owner visited the zoo, but not any longer. However, they are thinking about reviewing their policy: "Assistance dogs are not currently permitted inside ZSL London Zoo because some of our animals react negatively to their presence. We are working with Guide Dogs UK to resolve this and hope to be able to welcome dogs to certain areas of the Zoo in the future." – from the website – no mention of BALAI regulations there.
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The BALAI regulations dont make any differentiation between domestic dogs (including guide dogs) and wild spp. The restriction is down to the health status of the two collections. Approved Bodies can receive animals into their collection from each other without losing their Approved status as it is assumed their health status is the same. Movement of an animal from a non-Approved Body (be-it zoo or private owner) into an Approved Body results in the loss of its Approved status, unless the animal is isolated for a month.
 
Brum said:
Interesting stuff, especially since Prague and Hanover allow (pet) dogs in and are major players in the zoo world. I wonder how they also get around it?
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Tierpark Berlin allowed pet dogs when I was there in 2017, I assume this is still the case
 
We don’t leave her in the car for any length of time on her own, nor would we use kennels if provided at the entrance etc, Just looking for somewhere to be able to take the dog. So many nice gardens and walks at so many zoos it seems an ideal situation if permitted to take the dog.

Part of the reason that the question was initially asked Is that if we visit smaller collections then one of us goes in, then comes out and the other goes in. It doesn’t bother me two hoots going to a zoo alone, but my partner prefers not to, hence the question. Any knowledge?
 
pipaluk said:
Tierpark Berlin allowed pet dogs when I was there in 2017, I assume this is still the case
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Presumably dogs in restaurants (even being fed tid-bits from the table), and restaurants inside enclosures - seen on the mainland, would not be permitted in the UK either...
 
Pootle said:
We don’t leave her in the car for any length of time on her own, nor would we use kennels if provided at the entrance etc, Just looking for somewhere to be able to take the dog. So many nice gardens and walks at so many zoos it seems an ideal situation if permitted to take the dog.

Part of the reason that the question was initially asked Is that if we visit smaller collections then one of us goes in, then comes out and the other goes in. It doesn’t bother me two hoots going to a zoo alone, but my partner prefers not to, hence the question. Any knowledge?
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The only UK zoo I know of that allows dogs( or did do) is CWP. To my knowledge none of the other bigger ones do. I think you will be hard put to find any others that do at all.
 
Pertinax said:
The only UK zoo I know of that allows dogs( or did do) is CWP. To my knowledge none of the other bigger ones do. I think you will be hard put to find any others that do at all.
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I suspected as much having visited many UK wide, I just thought there may a little dog friendly gem out there. Bring back the favourite Southport, they used to allow dogs! :D.
 
Pootle said:
I just thought there may a little dog friendly gem out there. Bring back the favourite Southport, they used to allow dogs! :D.
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There might still be but I don't know it. I once went to Burgers Zoo in Holland many years ago and was really surprised to see people with their dogs in the zoo. Its pretty rare. Oddly at CWP I've never noticed many dogs though I know you can take them(or could do).
 
Had a feeling this had come up before, and was horrified to discover that it was only a month or too off 8 years ago: No dogs allowed

The thread suggests that at that time at least Birdland also allowed dogs in on leads. Clearly a Cotswolds thing..!
 
Pootle said:
Besides Cotswold Wildlife Park, can anyone recommend a zoo, or similar where we can take our dog? Any UK locations mentioned appreciated. I thought it was wiser to ask the UK Zoo Chat population than trawl trough the websites. As a dog owner it is actually quite annoying how many attractions (non zoo) advertise as dog friendly, then turn out not to be upon further investigating.
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One of the reasons I love visiting UK zoos is that they ARE dog free - one place I can relax whilst eating a picnic, letting my 3 year old run free without fear and worrying about what may end up on my kids shoes!! Please no dogs!
 
Andrew Swales said:
The European Union's BALAI Regulations which have to be adhered to, to allow any international animal movement, require any mammal entering a registered premises from a non-Approved body to be put into isolation for a month. This includes domestic dogs. So a BALAI Approved zoo is not legally allowed to permit entry. It would be interesting to know how the exemption you refer to was granted.
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The vast majority of the continental collections I have visited permit dogs - so the mystery deepens.
 
TriUK said:
One of the reasons I love visiting UK zoos is that they ARE dog free - one place I can relax whilst eating a picnic, letting my 3 year old run free without fear and worrying about what may end up on my kids shoes!! Please no dogs!
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Dogs over kids anytime :p.... joking aside you have 99% of the zoos how you want them already - dog free.
 
Just checked Dudley's website and they only allow assistance dogs. I would be surprised if UK zoos were allowed to exclude assistance dogs as that would contravene the Disability Discrimination legislation. I visited Highland Wildlife Park many years ago and they used to have kennels onsite although I gather from their website that they don't now. In fact, they don't even allow dogs in the car park but they do allow fully trained guide dogs and other registered assistance dogs in most areas of the park.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
The vast majority of the continental collections I have visited permit dogs - so the mystery deepens.
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It isn't really a mystery, it is just another example of how disjointed EU legislation is across country borders; and how different countries (or 'states' as they seem to be called these days) still have different approaches when enforcing standards.

What is a mystery, and one which we have never managed to get explained, is the 'un-even' application of the rules inside not just the UK, but England even.
 
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