If you are planning to keep animals on display in a petting zoo, you must submit a notification of the activities. On this page, you can find information on submitting a notification.
Different types of animal-assisted activities (therapeutic, wellbeing and experience activities) are also considered to be petting zoos.
On this page, you can find a list of animals that you can keep on display at a petting zoo. If animal species other than those mentioned below are displayed, a permit for a permanent animal show is required. For more information on applying for a permit, see the Animal exhibits and displays page.
You have to submit a notification when you engage in activities classified as a petting zoo.
In a petting zoo, you can keep on display cats and dogs and the following mammal and bird species:
Mammals
- cattle
- pig and wild boar
- domesticated sheep and mouflon
- goat
- horse and donkey, and hybrids of horse and donkey
- llama
- alpaca
- rabbit
- mink
- polecat
- sable
- red fox and Arctic fox and their hybrids
- raccoon dog
- rat
- domesticated mouse
- guinea pig
- golden hamster
- gerbil
- reindeer
- fallow deer
- bison
- water buffalo for meat production
Birds
- chicken
- turkey
- goose
- duck, mallard and Muscovy duck and their hybrids
- ostrich
- emu
- quail
- guinea fowl
- grey partridge
- pheasant
If animal species other than those mentioned above are displayed, a permit for a permanent animal show is required.
If you are starting professional or otherwise large-scale keeping of pet and hobby animals, here is what you should do:
- Find out about the animal welfare requirements for keeping different species of animals. Contact your local authority veterinary officer if you have any questions.
- Keep an up-to-date list of the animals in your care.
- Submit a notification using the electronic service of the register of animal keepers and establishments. Links to the electronic services are provided at the bottom of this page.
Register of animal keepers and establishments
In addition to the general information on the planned activities, the notification must also contain the following details:
- the species and numbers of animals concerned
- details of the conditions in which the animals are kept
- a statement on the competence of the keeper(s) of the animals
- a statement of how you plan to arrange the care of the animals.
You must submit the notification least 30 days before you start your business.
Processing fee for notifications concerning petting farms costs EUR 175.
If there are changes in your activities, please notify us 30 days before the change or termination of activities.
We maintain a record of persons who keep animals and have submitted notifications to us. When we have inspected the notification, we can issue necessary regulations for the prevention of animal welfare hazards. If your activities do not meet the animal welfare requirements, we can ban you from exercising such activities. The municipal veterinarian supervises the adherence to animal welfare legislation.
Services
Register of Animal Keepers and Establishments
E-service forms
Announcement of a petting zoo (to be made using the form: Notification of operations subject to notification under the Animal Welfare Act).
Termination of operations subject to notification under the Animal Welfare Act
Follow-up to notifications submitted using e-services forms:
Responding to a request for additional information or responding to other contact from the Finnish Food Authority (It is not possible to use this form to initiate new official matters.)
Contact
Veterinary Service Regional Sections