And thanks to our increasingly urban society, "a petting zoo may be the only place where kids are exposed to animals besides cats and dogs," she says. Jayarao agrees. "It would be a shame to see ...

There are many opportunities to get an up-close and personal experience with animals – visit a Petting Zoo or farm, Touch a ...

So grab plenty of hand sanitizer, wet wipes, plastic gloves (bison slobber is no joke), and snacks for the kids and head out ...