Last Saturday, a petting zoo visited The Queen’s College as part of a series of events run by the JCR welfare team to relieve 5th week Blues. The animals that visited the Nun’s Gardens at Queen’s were Grahame the sheep, Cola the goat, Rex and Queenie the chickens, Splash the duck, Blackberry the rabbit, and Amber the sheep.
Queen’s Welfare Rep Mark Holmes explained, “When it was suggested that we get a petting zoo, I dismissed the idea out of hand to put the JCR off the scent but then we quickly began googling like mad. I just thought it was fun and had great potential to get people talking during 5th week and spend our budget on an event that would really attract people away from the libraries for a while; even if just out of curiosity.”
“What I expected to be the biggest hurdle, getting college permission, really wasn’t a hurdle at all! The Home Bursar was really receptive once she had realised that this had been fully thought out. Logistics were a nightmare initially, but the company and the college were flexible. When I arrived at 9.30am to a transit van with a trailer attached, the bleating of Grahame the sheep was certainly a little bit surreal.”
Female Welfare Rep Maria Newsome, told Cherwell, “The petting zoo visited us for four hours on Saturday, and it felt like almost all of our members couldn’t resist coming out to stroke and pet the animals. Who can really be stressed when cuddling a rabbit?”
While the petting zoo was a 5th week favourite for nearly all who attended, for students facing exams it was particularly welcome. Second-year classicist Christine MacVicar said, “It was just nice to get outside for a bit; I definitely want another one! It really helped calm me down.”
Jane Cahill, The Queen’s College JCR President, said, “Holding that rabbit was the best thing that’s happened to me all term. The JCR will look to procuring more soft, fluffy things in the future.”
