A pet sounds like a fun idea until you realize it comes with a certain level of responsibility (like feeding and cleaning it).
Fortunately, you can still be around adorable animals minus the responsibility. Here's how:
Petting farms
Cats and dogs are fun to play with, but when will you get the chance to cuddle with some farm animals? Maplewood Farm has around 200 domestic farm animals and birds to see. You can feed the chickens, ducks, and bunnies too. Maan Farms has a similar option at their Barnyard Adventureland. Though you can't enter the pens, you can still see and feed the animals, and there are peacocks too.
Fraser Valley Petting Zoo is a local family-owned farm and another great place to pet and play with barn animals like donkeys, ponies, llamas, pigs and more. Another farm to visit is the Southlands Heritage Farm where you can also go on a pony ride.
If you don't feel like travelling, you can bring the farm to you. The Cinemazoo Petting Zoo is a mobile petting zoo that travels anywhere within the Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver.
Cat or Bunny Cafes
It's like a regular cafe but with cute, furry animals everywhere. Vancouver has two cat cafes; Catfe and Catoro Pets which both house rescued cats that are also available for adoption. If you're not a cat person, there is the Bunny Cafe and you can feed the bunnies as they roam around.
Yoga with animals
Yes, you read that right. You can partake in a relaxing yoga class while surrounded by cute animals. In Vancouver, you can try goat yoga at Maan Farms or at Glacier Valley Farm. When it comes to other animals, there are events popping up here and there, like yoga with puppies at Pet-A-Palooza, so keep an eye out.
Volunteering
Helping animals is need is a another heartening way to spend time with them. Those interested in volunteering can check out Wildlife Rescue Association and Critter Care Wildlife Society to help wild animals, Cross Our Paws Rescue to help dogs and puppies, VOKRA or RAPS Cat Sanctuary to help cats and kittens, and Vancouver Rabbit Rescue to help rabbits and bunnies.
