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| Too pooped to party? Just sit next to Annabelle and recharge. Goat snuggles will charge the battery! |
Farm Animal Services
Petting Zoos, Live Nativities, and Kiss the Pig Contest
For Easter and Christmas pageants we can bring our sheep, goats and miniature donkey to highlight your event!
Our chickens, ducks and bunnies will fit nicely around the manger or the village of Bethlehem.
Most questions can be answered with our FAQ's below. If you have any other questions, just call or email Jennifer.
Farm Animal Petting Zoo
Can we feed the animals?
What kind of animals are in the petting zoo?
Where do your animals come from?
How much space does the petting zoo need?
What is the best age for a petting zoo?
What about clean-up?
Are you insured?
When do you arrive?
Kiss the Pig Contest (or Donkey!)
When and where can the "kissing" take place?
How does it work?
How much does it cost?
What if we already have the petting zoo there. Do we still have to pay for a Kiss the Pig Contest?
Can we pet the pig?
Do you have any "kissing" tips?
Why have a pig from Pony Party Plus come to your event?
Farm Animal Petting Zoo
Can we feed the animals?
Generally we do not allow feeding because the animals get very excited about treats and may nip small fingers by mistake. Exceptions may be allowed by special arrangement.
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What kind of animals are in the petting zoo?
Normally there are 2 or 3 pygmy goats, a lamb, a pot belly pig, 4 different kinds of fancy chickens, a couple of bunnies and a giant tortoise.
Occasionally we have ducks and turkeys and baby chicks.
If we have baby goats, we will bring those instead of older goats.
Also, during the summer months, the bunnies will not be able to come. They over-heat very easily and prefer to stay home in the air-conditioning.
The deluxe petting zoo also includes Cletus the miniature donkey. Cletus is a one year old (his birthday is 10/14/03) miniature donkey. He's tan and brown with the cutest little "Hee-Haw".
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Where do your animals come from?
All of the animals are our personal family pets. They all live together on a small farm here in Tampa.
Our animals' safety and well-being are our primary concerns. They are all treated with respect and dignity and are free to live out their lives with us.
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How much space does the petting zoo need?
The petting zoo comes with its own portable fencing and for most parties is about 10' x 10'.
For larger events we can set up a larger enclosure. Just let us know how big you think you'll need.
We can also provide a canopy so if it's sunny everyone can enjoy the animals in comfort.
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What is the best age for a petting zoo?
Any age! We have had children as young as 6 months enjoy our animals all the way up to Grandma and Grandpa. Our petting zoo is perfect for children of all ages!
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What about clean-up?
No need to worry! We clean up all of our messes, so you don't have to. We also provide hand-sanitizer for everyone to use.
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Are you insured?
Yes, we are fully licensed and insured. We are also licensed through the USDA, which is a federal requirement to exhibit farm animals. We are also licensed with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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When do you arrive?
We normally arrive 15-30 minutes early to get all set-up and ready so your party starts right on time.
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Kiss the Pig Contest (or Donkey!)
When and where can the "kissing" take place?
For the final event, a date is chosen and scheduled ahead of time with Pony Party Plus. The final event is usually held in an assembly or large group setting where all the fund-raising participants (and even their families, if possible) are present to witness the kissing of the pig.
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How does it work?
For schools, the fund-raising event usually takes place during a week long period of time (i.e. Spirit Week). During this time students collect money by class groups. The teacher of the class that raises the most money at the end of the week must kiss the pig at the "grand finale" event. Usually the principal, vice-principal, and any other "notable" persons must kiss the pig as well.
Other ways the contest can be run which might work better for different types of organizations:
1. Individuals in different categories (i.e. age categories) compete to raise the most money. The winners of each category are then allowed to choose (within reason) who they would most like to see kiss the pig (i.e. group leader, parent, etc.) at the final event.
2. Leaders of the organization (i.e. president, Girl Scout leader, pastor, etc.) volunteer to kiss the pig if a certain amount of money can be raised by the group members in a certain amount of time.
3. The organization can be divided into groups with a leader assigned to each group. The groups are given a certain period of time to raise as much money as possible. The leaders of the groups who do not win must then kiss the pig at the final event.
4. For a one day event, raffle tickets can be sold. The purchaser then has the choice of placing their ticket(s) in separate boxes labeled with the names of several "notable" persons (i.e. organization leaders). The "notable" person with the most tickets by the end of the day must then kiss the pig.
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How much does it cost?
The cost of having Pony Party Plus bring a pig for your Kiss-the-Pig Contest does depend on the amount of time the pig is needed and also the location of the event. Please see our "Prices" page for more details about the cost of having our pig or donkey) come to your event.
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What if we already have the petting zoo there. Do we still have to pay for a Kiss the Pig Contest?
No! If we are already at your event, just let us know and we can bring one of our pigs up to your stage for the "pig event".
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Can we pet the pig?
Yes, he can be petted by all ages as long as there is enough time after the main event. Many schools will opt to have the pig stay longer to give their students the rare opportunity to pet a pig. If the Petting Zoo is already present at the event, then participants are, of course, welcome to pet the pig in the petting zoo area.
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Do you have any "kissing" tips?
Here are some tips to help make your Kiss-the-Pig event a huge success:
1. Have one or all of the female "kissers" wear bright red lipstick that wipes off easily. It will come off on the pigs nose as "proof" of the kiss. (Children really love this.)
2. Provide a sturdy table for the pig to stand on. The pig can easily be lifted onto the table by the animal handler and has been trained for this, so he is comfortable doing so. This way the "kissers" do not have to get on their knees to kiss the pig and the pictures also are much better. Since pigs do have hooves, which do not handle slippery surfaces well, Pony Party Plus does provide a table covering that gives more traction for the pig while on the table.
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Why have a pig from Pony Party Plus come to your event?
When considering a pig for a Kiss-the-Pig Contest you want one that is friendly, well trained, safe around people, clean, and healthy. Our pigs here at Pony Party Plus meet and exceed all of these criteria.
When you have a pig from Pony Party Plus come to your event you are not getting a wild pig that has to be wrestled on stage. Our pigs have been bottle-fed as babies and have been trained to interact well with people. They are very comfortable around people and even in front of a loud crowd. They have been trained to walk on leashes, to be picked up, and to stand on tables (all of which would never happen with a farm pig).
Pigs do have very sharp teeth and when scared will bite. A pig that a local farmer might offer for free can prove to be dangerous, since they have been taken out of their "home" (very likely for the first time) and then forced in front of a loud crowd of people.
Our pigs have grown up traveling and interacting with people and are very comfortable in front of crowds, so there is no risk of harm to participants and no trauma to the pig.
The cleanliness and health of our pigs is also a top priority for us. Their housing is kept clean, they are fed fresh food, and they receive necessary vaccinations for pigs.
Why risk having a bad experience with a "free" pig when you could have a great experience with a pig from Pony Party Plus?
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