A woman who took her small dog to a zoo has shared the shocking interaction her pet had with a snow leopard, sparking debate about whether she made a mistake bringing her dog along.
The Unexpected Encounter
Dog owner Jesenna Viila posted a video on Instagram showing her small dog, Liika, sitting outside a snow leopard enclosure at a zoo. In the clip, the snow leopard runs up to the glass separating it from Liika, pawing at the barrier and sniffing around as if trying to reach the tiny pup. Liika, however, remained completely unfazed, barely flinching and even growling back at the big cat as if annoyed by its presence.
Jesenna captioned the video: "Unfazed. Absolutely unfazed. She is scared of literally everything in the world, but a giant cat didn't make the cut. She even growled back: How dare you disturb my zen time." A second angle showed the snow leopard leaping over rocks in its enclosure to try to reach Liika through the glass.
Criticism from Commenters
Many commenters criticized Jesenna for causing unnecessary stress to both her dog and the snow leopard. One person said: "If you take your pet to the zoo, please do not leave them by the glass. This causes certain animals distress (which is exhibited by the snow leopard pawing at your pup). It may look like harmless fun, but it's creating a stressful environment for the animal in the habitat." Another added: "Please don't treat animals in captivity this way. It may be a source of amusement for you, but it isn't for the animals." A third wrote: "Why are you taking a dog to the zoo? Leave those animals alone. Their lives are hard enough."
Can You Take Dogs to the Zoo in the UK?
Whether dogs are allowed at UK zoos depends on the specific location. Major zoos like Edinburgh Zoo, Chester Zoo, Whipsnade Zoo, and London Zoo do not permit dogs except for trained assistance dogs, which must follow conditions barring them from walkthrough exhibits. London Zoo's guidelines state: "At London Zoo, dogs and other animals are not permitted, except for certain assistance animals. The risk to London Zoo's animals and the assistance animals depends on the species, current health and security requirements, and history of the assistance animal; therefore, we do not encourage assistance animals other than dogs to enter our site."
Some dog-friendly animal experiences exist, such as Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens in Oxfordshire, Golders Hill Park Zoo in London, and Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park in Suffolk, where dogs must be kept on leads. Always check with the zoo or wildlife park before bringing your dog.
