EAGLEVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Lucky Ladd Farms is responding to claims they were negligent after a child died from catching E. coli over the summer.
Three families have gotten an attorney and they’re planning on filing a lawsuit against the popular Rutherford County attraction.
"If you walked up and down the streets of Nashville to ask people whether baby goats can kill children? They would look at you like you’re crazy," attorney Bill Marler said.
Marler specializes in E. coli cases.
More than a dozen people got sick and two children needed to be hospitalized this summer, according to a Tennessee Department of Health report. The 2-year-old — who died — picked it up from a sibling that attended the camp on the farm.
"Unfortunately, over the last 20 years, it’s a fairly common occurrence to see petting zoos and county fairs be the epicenter of outbreaks that may impact a handful of kids to hundreds," Marler said.
Marler is representing the family who lost their 2-year-old child and three other people who got sick after handling baby goats. These families feel like Lucky Ladd Farms needs better safety protocols.
"There are a lot of things they could’ve done differently, including hot water and better signage telling families the risks of touching goats," Marler said.
The owners of Tennessee’s largest petting farm and family fun park is responding back to these claims. They tell NewsChannel 5 hot, or warm water is not a requirement for proper hand washing.
“We use recommended signs and language supported and shared by the CDC. Anytime anyone purchases a ticket online, they sign acknowledging they have read and understood the risks. Even the Nashville Zoo allows you to go and pet their goats," Lucky Ladd officials said in a statement.
NewsChannel 5 reached out to the Nashville Zoo to find out their protocols. They too follow CDC and the USDA guidelines when it comes to animal contact.
They’re also accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums which have these requirements:
- Constant surveillance of our contact area animals by a full-time team of animal care experts and a veterinary team.
- A minimum, annual prevention program for all animals, and in particular, contact animals.
- Hand-washing/sanitizing stations in all areas where animal-to-human contact is in place.
- Rules preventing guests from having food and drinks in areas where animal contact takes place.
A zoo spokesperson adds the last requirement is a major reason for E. coli contraction in many cases. They said kids bring popcorn into a petting zoo, pet the goat that may have been rolling around on the ground, then proceed to eat popcorn with the same hand used for petting without washing hands.
The Nashville Zoo's hand-washing station is outside their Critter Encounters area. Guests can see sign listing rules as they enter the area.
"This bacterium can easily spread. It can get dry and blow in the wind. It can get on everything. The best thing is washing your hands, using hand sanitizer, and not eating at the venue," Marler said.
Marler thinks as a society the nation should do a better job at educating people about the risks of petting zoos.
According to the CDC, many people get sick every year after visiting an animal exhibit. From 2010-2015, about 100 outbreaks of illness in people were linked to animals in public settings like zoos, fairs, and educational farms. Those were the ones reported to public health officials.
Experts say when you go to a petting zoo know the risks of how bacteria spreads. Also, make sure you wash your child’s hands. They said to make sure you get the palms and in between the fingers too.
Lucky Ladd Farms responded to every allegation from Attorney Bill Marler:
Attorney Bill Marler:
There are a lot of things they could’ve done differently, including hot water and better signage telling families the risks in touching goats.
Owner Amy Ladd:
We have numerous signs all around the animal area and the farm in general that warns about risks. The wording came specifically from recommendations provided by the Centers for Disease Control. In addition, information about the risks is available on our website, in our registration and ticketing systems, and the families signed a form each morning when checking their children in where they acknowledged and accepted the risks."
Marler:
The technology is available to test animals for E. coli before they come into a venue. There are vaccines available for animals that have been utilized to lessen the bacteria load.
Ladd:
This type of technology is not available. If so, then no one at the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture, or our veterinarian of record are aware of its existence or have made recommendations for us to utilize practices.
Marler:
These families want to have a fuller understanding of exactly what happened.
Ladd:
Unfortunately, there is no clear answer here. It’s simply a risk that exists in any public setting with or without animals. Wild animals, birds, and humans can all spread the bacterium."
Marler:
Most people I think don’t understand that risk, but to a venue like Lucky Ladd they knew the risk. They didn’t employ all the things they could do including making sure touching the animals did not happen.
Ladd:
As I mentioned before, we share the risks. We use recommended signs and language supported and shared by the CDC. Anytime anyone purchases a ticket online they sign acknowledging they have read and understand the risks. Even the Nashville Zoo allows you to go and pet their goats. We are no different and follow the exact same safety protocols."
