How animals at the Ohio State Fair are kept safe

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One of the main attractions at the Ohio State Fair is all the animals, with different showings, pig races and petting zoos for everyone to enjoy. 

It’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to make sure that every animal is happy and healthy. 

The work for the Department of Agriculture actually begins months in advance. There’s so much planning that goes on behind the scenes and a lot of people work together to ensure that all the animals are happy and healthy.

Every day of the fair, the Department of Agriculture walks around all the barns that have animals on site. While doing so, the field veterinarians check in with leadership and superintendents to make sure that there are no issues or concerns with the animals. 

One thing the veterinarians look for is to make sure the animals aren’t overly stressed or overheated. In the barns, there are plenty of fans and places to cool off. 

“The families that are showing here obviously take a huge responsibility and take it serious when it comes to keeping our livestock safe and healthy, and they keep a close eye on these animals,” Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge said. “They are well bedded, very comfortable, plenty of room and enjoying the fair from an animal standpoint, I think.”

Leaders said it takes a lot of people to make this all possible, with the team performing daily health inspections on each animal.

“We definitely want to make sure that these animals, these are the elite champions of their breeds and of their species,” field veterinarian Dr. Cynthia Wise said. “We want to make sure that they're safe and so, we want to make sure that the environment that they're moving into is clean and disinfected and ready for them.”

Even for animals traveling from out of state, veterinarians have to make sure they meet all of Ohio’s regulations to ensure everything is safe and fair.