Petting Zoo

There are a variety of animals in the Beit Noam petting zoo that welcome our participants with unconditional affection and love.

The petting zoo offers a therapeutic space that activates all the senses, with participants hearing the animals, seeing them, feeling and smelling them. The participants care for the animals and experience taking responsibility for another creature, a unique experience many do not experience elsewhere.

The participants contribute to the petting zoo in a variety of ways. For many of them, the rabbit specifically helps them to regulate their often-underestimated strength in opening their hand – which takes a lot of effort on their part – and stroking it without hurting it.

The petting zoo allows the participants to experience situations that they would be less likely to experience in their daily lives with other people – such as reaching out slowly and touching another living creature carefully.