Reviews of Land O'Lakes Rescue Petting Farm (Zoo)

Matthew Leering

Non profit that rescues troubled animals. The owner personally brought us on a guided tour, telling us stories about the animals (which were all very friendly and entertaining)

Lucy Ferreira

AS AN ANIMAL LUVER MYSELF I SEE THE WONDERFUL WORK THEY ALL DO & THATS WHY I DONATED & SO DID MY PARTNER ERIC. THIS PLACE WILL WARM UR HEART LIKE IT DID OURS . THEY ARE ALL SO KIND & COMPASSIONATE ????

Roxane Bay

Animals who’ve been neglected or abandoned end up in a caring place!

T Saeed

Heart touching experience. Everything about this place has a wonderful story behind it. If there were more people like Donna and Barry in the world it would be a better place. I am certain the animals at the farm would agree as well. This rescue farm is not a professional money making business, but a family BUILT and run rescue farm that has opened it's doors to the public. If you are in the Bon Echo area or even passing through on your way to Ottawa or surrounding areas I highly recommend stopping here to recharge your emotional batteries.

Nathan Alexander

This is a "can't miss" for families in this area. We toured this place and had a wonderful time. The stories behind the animals are amazing, and the owners clearly love the animals as they are all so gentle and friendly. My wife had never been hugged by a turkey before, so thanks for that cool experience!

Clair Robertson

What a lovely spot. So much kindness in the hearts of the people who own and run this little animal paradise. Not fancy by any stretch of the imagination but the animals that have been rescued are extremely well looked after and have found their forever homes. Each one has a different sad story but they all have found a happy ending. If you are in the area and you are an animal lover I would highly recommend checking it out.

S R

Fantastic! What a wonderful family. The animals are hilarious and do all sorts of tricks. I'd never in my life met a pig that could jump on command. Will definitely go back next time I'm in the area.

Pierre Bouchard

Fun place.

Melted Fro

This is a hidden gem,anybody passing through it's worth the visit,the staff was extremely friendly,the animals are well taken care of and very friendly. Overall great experience and it goes to a great cause!!

Melisandre (Mel)

Amazing experience and people. The food was also delicious. Drop off your empties and pop cans after a stay at the cottage!

jmarshero

Great for kids, staff is personable and great at chatting with kids, and really inexpensive. Fun times, we'll return for another visit.

Andrew Wilson

A special article for an amazing animal rescue farm!

Barry Gordon

Amazing place to visit would recommend to everyone nice little place for the hole family!

Sofia Khaddadine

The animals are so gentle and friendly here! If you’re staying at Bon Echo - definitely come for a visit. The owner (can’t recall his name) has trouble with mobility, however still went out of his way to show around the whole farm and tell us the stories about every single animal on the farm. His approach to animals is so gentle and understanding. Come with an open mind - the personal touch is what made this place! To top it off all the animals have a few tricks up their sleeves. Oh and we were also given a generous amount of bread fruit and carrots to feed all the animals. Our dog was allowed in as well on a leash. The farm isn’t your typical cute “petting zoo”. It is a bit messier and there are farm tools scattered around the area. Covid hasn’t been great for the farm - so I definitely encourage everyone to go and support them :) The animals need it most. Most people working there are just volunteers.

Stephen Lussier (ioweyouacoke)

A wonderful place run by wonderful people! The rescued animals are so tame and gentle -- great fun for the whole family to pet and feed! A hidden gem that I wholeheartedly endorse anyone in the area to visit!

Josh Hayes

The cow is great!

Graham Kent

What a great experience at such a great place run by great people. You can tell the staff really care about the animals here, and what they do for them is incredible. Unfortunately we didn't have much time here when we visited (due to our own tight schedule), but it was great feeding goats, horses, and other animals, hugging a turkey, holding baby chicks, and otherwise experiencing things with such loving animals who have been brought back from awful situations and turned around. Kudos to this place. Would love to go back the next time I'm in the area.

Thomas “Pip” Milne

I live here it is awesome peaple would love this place they would love our new baby liam named shawn!

Bizwar 72

We arrived at the petting zoo at 2:30 when they are open until 3, with our one year old, and were told that they sent the staff home early so they were closed

Matthew Harnden

Small rescue. Rely a lot on donations. You can tell they care about the animals. Need more visitors

Kayla McBride Parks

Such a fun place to visit, our tour guide gave us quick stories of all the animals and how they became a part of land o lakes petting farm. The cow and the llamas are the best part!

Eric LaBrant

Hidden gem, and one of our favorite stops on an 8,000 mile road trip. Animals that are gentle and obviously happy and loved. Barry is the sweetest guy, and a gracious, generous host. Affordable! You will be glad you visited!

Mark Sausedo

We had a wonderful quick visit here today. Lots of rescued animals. Friendly staff and they are all doing a great service. Drop in and support or donate carrots for the animals. We will visit next time we come up to the cottage

Ziah Zhao

Spent 2 hours there ! Everybody is friendly !!! Until a wild goose bite me ????

Ziah Zhao

Spent 2 hours there ! Everybody is friendly !!! Until a wild goose bite me ????

Tricia Koning

We had an amazing time meeting and learning about the menagerie of rescue animals at this farm. Would highly recommend for young and old alike!

M B

My kids had a blast feeding the animals!

M B

Nice place, very nice people. Kids loved it

James Williams

My family and I had an excellent time here! Everyone (including the animals) were so friendly! Highly recommend any family visit here :).

Jessica Dusharme

Great place and they give you lots of treats to feed the animals. My kids had a good time.

John Huntley

What a great tour!

Harri Persaud

Great time for ourselves and the grandkids. Everyone loved it, and the turkey loved my daughter in law.

Kayla Preston-Lord

We had such a special experience here. Barry took us around the farm on an hour+ long tour, detailing the heartwrenching and inspiring stories behind each animal. They are all so gentle and sweet -- Bailey the cow was my personal favourite, she gave us several memorable licks with her massive tongue! We also got to hold tiny kittens in our arms. If you are travelling in the area, you cannot miss this spot! It's a really wonderful experience for all ages, and a touching reminder of the transcendental power of the connection humans and animals share. Barry and Donna have huge hearts, we can't thank you enough ????

Em G

Great place to go for a visit, I enjoyed seeing all the animals and the tricks they have been trained to do. Inexpensive and all the proceeds go to running the farm

Kevin Dillinger

This petting farm is great! Everyone is super friendly and the animals are in good hands. All the animals are very friendly and cute, they also have a turkey that gives hugs! Would definitely go back when I'm in the area.

Elinor Tatum

Ever been kissed by a cow or hugged by a turkey. Maybe had a race with a sheep? Well all those Hong’s happen at the Rescue petting farm. My daughter and I came to visit for the first time five years ago and they can’t get rid of us. We come back ever year and volunteer for most of the time we are in Canada. We just love Barry and Donna and all the animals. It is a very special place. Please go by. They can use all the support you can give. .

Justin Andrews

Great place. Good cause. Non-commercial zed.

Randi Jacob

Friendly owner animals seem happy

Michelle Dufoe

A great way to kill a few hours. Wonderful animals and staff!! My kids had a blast!

Andy B

Always a good time. Parking area is small but most people park along the road.

Pete OHearn

We loved this place! We discovered it on the way to Bon Echo by chance. The family that runs it is sweet, and the story of the place is quite touching. It's definitely worth a visit!

Jay V

I recently visited this farm this past weekend and fell in love ! The owners of the farm are extremely pleasant and they even walked around with us and told us everyone’s story and how they acquired the animals. It’s $7 per person but we gladly gave them extra as you can see every bit of money helps and goes towards a good cause. If I didn’t live 2.5 hours away I would be up there every weekend ! Definitely stop by if you are in the area - any kid would LOVE to go by and visit .

Nash K

Wonderful rescue farm with great staff and volunteers. They were all super nice, welcoming, and also gave us a tour of the place before letting us wander around. Please go and support these amazing people helping the animals ❤ they are open daily until around 3 or 330pm

Marie

Great place

Michel Sturgeon

My kids love volunteering in the summer, we have been visiting the farm for many years we the family is amazing

Daria Shepelenko

What a wonderful place to bring the family and learn how compassion, love and patience will always help a hurt soul.

Kerik Amanda

What an amazing spot highly recommend going....animals are so well loved and so gentle friendly staff go out and help support these animals

Stefanie Williams

What a great place! You can feed and touch the animals, and you learn each animal's story. They do such great work!

michelle showers

We were happy to attend with our toddler

Hunter McManus

We had a great time! The owners are very friendly and care deeply about all the animals. Every animal has a story and it is great learning them all. All the animals have learned tricks over the years, so it is great watching them do tricks and even feeding them with your mouth!

Keir Keir

Great loving home for any animal fortunate enough to live here. They helped us with our Beautiful and friendly rooster that we unfortunately could not keep.

luke smith

Highly recommend meeting all the hearts living at Land O'Lakes Rescue Petting Farm. What a special rally of souls!!

Katie Mckeiver

Kids loved visiting! It's a grassroots operation, nothing fancy or pretentious. They took time to share stories about animals and made sure our kids got to interact with animals.

Anne St-Jean

A family business run by amazing caring people. They have a wide variety of animals all with touching backstories and vibrant personalities. Don't worry, the owners and guides don't bombard you with sad stories about the animals but rather focus on their inspirational successes and interesting personality quirks. The $7 entry fee includes a bucket of carrots to feed to the animals along with a guided tour where you are introduced to each character. The baby ducks, a jumping pig and Sammy the hugging turkey are just some of the animals to enjoy! Kissing Llamas? Yup! Plus they have food and ice cream for sale! North of Kaladar and just South of beautiful Bon Echo Provincial Park. A must visit!

Wanda Michiels

Great place for kids.

Dapper Drooler

Amazing rescue farm. The host was so great taking the time to introduce you to the animals, and telling you about them. Well worth the stop. All ages will enjoy. Cuddle a turkey, hold a bunny, feed all the animals. Such a special experience.

Zachary Morgan

Had the best experience here with my girlfriend. We are both huge animal lovers and this place warmed our hearts. The staff was so sweet and clearly cared so much for the animals. It was heartbreaking hearing the stories of the animals but …

Sarah Monroe

Very friendly and knowledgeable owner. Animals are well loved! Worth the visit!

Cameron Siemens

Have you ever teared up at a petting farm? You will here! The majority of the animals are rescued and you wouldn't believe their stories! Thank you so so much Barry for your kind heart, hospitality and amazing spirit you share every day with your animals and guests! The world becomes a better place by people like you ❤️????????????????????????????????????????❤️ Please visit the farm and donate to support Land O'Lakes Rescue Petting Farm!

angela green

The kids loved it. The owners are lovely people

Nadia Prevost

I visited this rescue and have been struggling to put the experience into words. We were introduced to every single animal and for each one, told the story of their rescue in the most detailed, loving, and compassionate terms. All this from a man (Barry) in clearly failling health. As we were leaving after our nearly two hour tour, a little boy and his mom stood at the gate wondering if they could get in despite it being half an hour past closing. Barry's response; "I will never turn a child away". He and his wife have spent their lives healing those who have been broken. Children as well as animals. Please support them.

Bryanna Wood

Amazing place had so much! Totally worth it, you can really see how much they love the animals.

Tyler Ganton

What a amazing place , We have bin here a few times now This family is wonderful and there love for everyone is a wonderful thing to see and feel

Killer Baboon

Friendly staff and friendly animals! The people here do amazing things for the animals to save them from bad conditions or illnesses. I highly recommend visiting the farm and checking them out!

Kevin Knight

We visited this beautiful place yesterday, not knowing that they were only open on weekends after August. I pulled up and Barry met me at the gate, explaining that they were only open on weekends during off season. He invited our family in anyway, not even knowing that we had a toddler in the car...who was very excited to see all of his favourite animals. Barry allowed us to spend our time touring the farm, and took us on our own personal tour, providing a full history of each and every animal. The story of this farm is enough to warm anyone's heart and inspire you to be a better person. They not only rehabilitate these animals, but they provide all of the love and affection that each and every one of those animals deserves. Barry suffers from many health concerns himself, and despite his deteriorating body, he spends all of his time caring for these beautiful animals. We will absolutely be back, and for anyone who has never been there..... bring your empty beer/ liquor bottles and cans, as they have a drive to help with funds for the farm. We without a doubt, will be back to visit again. To Barry and his family: Thank you so much for all you do for these animals. Sincerely, The Knight family.

Lisa J

You couldn't ask for a more wonderful and worth while place to visit. Barry and his family have created a wonderful haven for previously abused animals. They have rehabilitated them, given them everything they could want in a home and …

Joe McGuire

Need more people like this around. Don't judge at first glance these people are angel's doing great work

Lee Mocon

Nice place, very nice people. Kids loved it

Theresa Plane

Our family visited here while vacationing in August. We all found it to be a very informative and interactive experience. We got to to feed and pet the animals while having a guided tour. It warms your heart to see the love and commitment …

Stephannie Beaudette

Went with a group of toddlers. They loved it. Not very big which was perfect for keeping track of young kids and the staff was beyond amazing.

Jennifer Lindsey

Lovely. Caring, well loved and cared for animals who would otherwise likely be put down or abused. Informative and educational. Great for kids, but maybe not timid ones or toddlers. Typical farm environment. Bring rubber boots and cash!

Jennie Ting

Such a great quaint little spot to visit with your kids. We went on a wetter day so it was a bit messy but so glad we visited. The family that cares for the animals puts so much love into what they do. Highly recommended this place for a quick visit and educational point of view on animal care.

Daniel Dufoe

this place is absolutely one of the greatest petting zoos there is in thousands of miles please help support them they are going under and they do not have enough money to help the animals

Amanda Laing

I recently visited this farm this past weekend and fell in love ! The owners of the farm are extremely pleasant and they even walked around with us and told us everyone’s story and how they acquired the animals. It’s $7 per person but we …

Amanda Electric

We visited here last week and what an experience it was!! All of the animals were so sweet and the owner personally took us to tour the farm. My kids loved feeding all the animals and having an opportunity to learn about what it takes to …

Karen Burch

Great place to take the grandkids. They get to see that people care and rescue animals in need. Third time there and it is always a great experience. Thank you Barry and Donna

Brook Wannamaker

Absolutely amazing. Feels like you went to visit family they are so friendly here. The animals are great with kids even my almost 2 year old had a blast feeding the gentle animals. This place is truly magical!!

Amrit Sachdeva

Donna and Barry are a very kind and welcoming couple. My family and I visited their rescue farm this morning and got to meet all the wonderful animals and hear their story. They drop everything they’re doing to give tours when visitors come in and are very passionate about what they do and very loving towards the animals. I would highly recommend anyone and everyone to come visit their farm. It’s definitely a different experience.

Sarah Taylor

My boyfriend and I had a wonderful time at the petting farm. For a modest $10 per adult, we got a generous amount of carrots and bread for the animals and ducks. All of the animals looked really well taken care of. Our tour guide, Emma, did a great job of showing us around and giving us anecdotes about all of the animals. We don't have any children so we were able to go through all of the animals rather quickly but we didn't felt rushed to leave and took another loop around to say goodbye to the animals. We would recommend this place to anyone who wants to spend some quality time with farm animals.

Al Walker

Awesome for kids and amazing what they do for the saved animals

Shelley HarttBond

I have visited this farm with a number of young children over the past five or so summers. (It is very close to our cottage). Staff is very friendly especially, "Farmer Barry", and give an excellent guided tour of the farm as they explain the history of each animal. Your guide will take his/her lead based on your party's interest. There is no set time you can spend at the farm. One to two hours seem to be the length of our visits. But then there is also an outdoor park area with climbing and riding equipment , as well as a picnic area. Don't worry about bringing food for the animals. Staff will give your party as many carrots as your children wish to feed the animals. A clean washroom allows you to wash up before you enter the canteen. Prices are reasonable and food is good. Also, remember if you are buying a souvenir, such as a mug or shirt with your favourite animal on it, the proceeds go towards supporting that animal. Anemjoyableexcursionforallages!!!

neatto1

My 2 year old granddaughter is at the stage that she loves animals and what can be more rewarding than visiting a petting farm. EVERYONE at the farm was so welcoming. Josh, our guide, was extremely informative and showed so much care and …

Carmel Davieau

My family and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit this rescue farm last weekend. The couple who run it are lovely people and the husband (Barry) took us around and introduced us to all the rescued animals (many who came from very sad and horrible situations) - from ducks who did tricks, to donkeys and horses that make funny faces, to excited goats, curious llamas, a cow that loves to eat bananas whole and many more! The farm provides visitors with healthy snacks for the animals who are all quite friendly and full of personality! If you and your family are in the Bon Echo area I highly recommend visiting the farm! Visitor fees go directly to the care of the animals as the farm runs primarily on donations (they also accept empty beer can/bottle donations so bring your empties there after a camping trip)! My 6 year old daughter was thrilled getting to feed and connect with each of the animals. Thank you Land O Lakes Rescue Farm for the wonderful work that you do!

Chap Fathead

Sure it's 10 bucks a head but so worthwhile especially if you have kids. You get excellent access to the animals and a bucket of carrot sticks for feeding. The animals themselves are entertaining and friendly.

UndergroundCustoms Toronto

All we can say is wow! What a heartwarming and touching experience. Most of the folks that were there with us had very young kids but don't think you need to be a child to enjoy this spectacular petting zoo. Our tour guides name was Barry and he was a real gentleman. He had a sincere soft spot in his heart for each and every animal in the facility. All of the animals were very gentle and loving with a sense of appreciation to have a 1 on 1 interaction with everyone. Although there are some very sad stories about all of the fuzzy friends, witnessing the love and affection they get from the staff alone is very comforting. The staff give you a decent sized basket of carrots to treat the animals when you pay your entry fee. If you see the pictures ive shared you'll notice Sam the cuddling turkey!! Believe it or not hes a warm and friendly Turkey who actually likes to cuddle people, its just amazing! Sam is the true celebrity of the zoo. Folks if youre reading this please dont skip past the idea of checking this incredible spot. You and the children will love it deeply and will never forget the experience!

Linda Squires

We had the opportunity to recently visit this wonderful farm with the kids. All of us were deeply touched by the compassion and care these rescued animals receive. All the animals seemed so happy and enjoyed us as much as we enjoyed them. Would highly recommend a visit to this magical place.

Meagan Wiersema

It was a really hard decision to post this. I went to Land o Lakes Rescue two years ago and was cautiously optimistic. The owners claimed they care about the animals and some looked quite healthy. Today I went back and realized that some of the animals are still looking in really rough shape. The miniature pony in the barn and the pigs desperately need to have their hooves checked. The pony even had them curled (horse's hooves NEED to be trimmed). One of the horses was absolutely emaciated. The owner reminded me that the horse is older and that they are still trying to fix his health... But it's been two years and the horse is literally starved. Have a vet look at him or find another owner because the owner is literally torturing the poor thing..Finally the owner mentioned that they were running short on bales of hay.. I love the idea of what this owner is trying to do but I cannot justify supporting an industry that doesn't provide proper care for its animals. Vet care, food, nutrition and farrier service are required. I'm sad to say that it appears the owner is overwhelmed with the number of animals he has and their care is suffering because of it.

Peter Jozwik

I am so glad this place exists! They are able to help so many animals! It's incredible hearing the stories about all the animals and you can tell the people here care so much for the animals because you get to hear stories about every single animal!

shannon m

What a truly amazing experience! I had the pleasure of visiting on July 6th and I was truly blown away. Not just by the experience but also by everyone involved in making this place possible. This IS a rescue petting farm so not all of the animals are in prestige condition, but don't let that stop you from visiting or believing how truly loved and taken care of each and everyone of them are. Every single animal is treated as an individual with their own story and their own recovery plan. Some have been previously tramatuzied more than others making their own recovery longer than others; however with that being said all of them are very well cared for and loved from what I personally seen. I had driven out from Toronto and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. On a side note If you can't visit at least try to donate as it is a non-profit organization that truly deserves the extra funds. I found an e-transfer link on their website. landolakespettingfarm@gmail.com

Alex Archer

Great family place. Come out and get a hug from the Turkey

Puria Tabari

Very lovely farm and staff. Really good people. Great place for a family trip. Remember to donate

Michael Lister

Hezi, Daddy and Harny posing. Thank you Barry and Donna and all of your helpers for all that you do.

Tu Hoang

Never have I seen animals appreciate human interaction such as these in my 33 years of life! They are so gentle around kids! Animals were all recued and they all show love and affection towards people and are extremely gentle around kids! You wont believe until you see!

Alexis Reid

We thought this place was a great idea and a great experience for young kids to get to know farm animals. Our granddaughter, Emily, truly enjoyed the whole tour and hands on experience as did we. All the animals were very gentle and showed the love that they have received from the owners.

michael guest

Best petting zoo ever, owners are fantastic!

Jess Temesy

Most amazing place to visit. The animals are gorgeous n well cared for. The owners are amazing ppl. All non profit. Volunteer ran. Excellent for kids!!

Katie Glover

Love this place! The owner clearly cares deeply for his animals (kids) and they are all friendly!