Does the idea of getting up close and personal with a chinchilla excite you? How about cuddling with a capybara? You might not bring these animals home as pets, but you can mingle with various species at select pet cafés around the world.
The popularity of cat cafés and dog-friendly breweries is on the rise as the relationship between humans and pets expands. However, these exotic animal cafés go beyond dogs and cats, featuring capybaras, raccoons, hedgehogs, and other unique creatures.
Check Out These Global Animal Cafés
You can’t bring your pets to these cafés, so don’t confuse them with typical dog-friendly restaurants or similar places. However, what these businesses do offer is one-of-a-kind experiences with animals. You get to interact with interesting species in a controlled, relaxed setting.
Capyneko Café (Tokyo, Japan)
When you visit Capyneko Café, you’ll find more than just cats. You’ll also get to meet the establishment’s resident capybara. Capybaras are typically considered to be docile creatures and enjoy being social.
The café has two separate locations and requires reservations. It’s recommended to check the website before your visit in case there are any changes to the daily hours. The café charges an admission fee and offers extra add-ons, like special treats. A portion of the collected proceeds goes toward various cat rescue efforts.
Thanks Nature Café (Seoul, South Korea)
In the Hongdae neighborhood, near Hongik University, is the adorable Thanks Nature Café. Visitors rave about the tasty food, but the real stars of this coffee shop are the fluffy sheep.
After purchasing something from the café, you can interact with the sheep. The sheep are usually outside in a separate area, although some visitors mention having seen them roam freely inside the shop occasionally.
Zoo Café (Budapest, Hungary)
At Zoo Café, you can mingle with rescued animals, including snakes, lizards, macaws, tarantulas, and guinea pigs. Reservations are required, and trained animal handlers are present to oversee the well-being of the animals, answer questions, and educate visitors about the various species.
The restaurant serves sandwiches, cakes, coffee, ale, and ice cream. They also offer breakfast and brunch options, depending on the time of day.
The Blind Alley (Seoul, South Korea)
The owner of The Blind Alley didn’t set out to operate a raccoon café, but after adopting a couple of cute raccoon pups (one of which was a rescue), things sort of just happened. Today, the business is separated into two sides, the café and the raccoon room, and the staff supervises all animal encounters.
You can either pay to visit the raccoons or purchase something in the café and get to visit with the raccoons as part of your purchase. There’s also a Welsh Corgi that roams about the café (and sometimes pigs!).
HARRY Harajuku Terrace (Tokyo, Japan)
There are several HARRY locations, but the HARRY Harajuku Terrace in Tokyo offers guests opportunities to play with otters, hedgehogs, rabbits, and chinchillas. The cafe does not sell meals and instead invites guests to bring their own drinks (no alcohol) or grab a drink from the vending machine.
The animal sessions for adults and children are for small interactions only. If you want to do more, you’ll pay an additional fee, and there are plenty of rules to follow and warnings that you might get a scratch or bite if you’re not careful. Therefore, make sure to read through all of the policies closely before you make a reservation.
Unique Pet Cafés in the US
You won’t find an overload of pet cafés in the US, at least not ones with unique animal encounters. The first US pet café that goes beyond dogs and cats is The Capybara Café in St. Augustine, Florida. It also has a new location in St. Pete.
You’ll get to visit with capybaras, of course, and also enjoy possible interactions with wallabies, rabbits, guinea pigs, bearded dragons, and other animals. The business offers guided, reservation-based sessions, which are usually 30 minutes long.
The café works in partnership with Noah’s Ark Sanctuary to help collect funds for rescue efforts, rehabilitation, and housing animals. The staff is trained and supervises all animal encounters to ensure the safety and welfare of the animals.
Things to Know About Exotic Animal Cafés
Unfortunately, not all animal cafés put the welfare of the animals first, so it’s important to do your research. Look for establishments that work closely with rescue efforts and make sure to check their animal care policies.
A major drawback to exotic animal cafés is that they could drive up the perception that these animals make acceptable pets. In many cases, some of the species are endangered in the wild, and others pose a risk of passing diseases onto humans.
It needs to be understood that just because you can visit some of these animals in a café doesn’t mean you should have one as a pet. Therefore, read reviews to help narrow down your options. Avoid cafés that try to sell wild animals or seem to be just going for a money grab.
The animals should have clean, adequately-sized rest areas and the opportunity to retreat when they want to. Responsible cafés will also have a strong staff presence, with employees guiding visitors during animal interactions. Don’t be afraid to ask about staff training, licensing, and protocols, and be aware that exotic animal cafés could potentially escalate the illegal wildlife pet trade.
Tips for Your Visit to a Pet Café
After researching various animal cafés, once you find a reputable one that offers a safe, clean, and positive experience (for you and the animals), plan your visit.
- Call ahead to book a reservation. Most of these businesses don’t accept walk-ins. Even if they do, you’re likely not going to score a session because they’re usually busy or booked.
- Be well-informed about the company’s cancellation policy.
- Understand how a session works, how long it lasts, and any special rules.
- Be clear about costs. Many have admission fees or require you to at least make a purchase. Some locations also offer extras in addition to the basic fee, like a feeding experience or giving treats.
- Don’t show up for your reservation with more people than planned.
- Never give any food to the animals other than what the staff supplies to you.
- Make sure to verify if there are any age restrictions, for example, no children under five, etc.
- Be diligent when visiting a pet café, and follow the rules closely.
- Never force any interactions with the animals. Staff should prohibit this, but if an animal doesn’t want to visit, respect that, because they could be stressed or tired.
- If a staff member tells you an animal needs to take a break, listen.
- Pay attention when staff show you the appropriate way to pet the different animals.
Would You Visit an Exotic Pet Café?
Is interacting with cute capybaras as you enjoy a cup of java on your bucket list? These pet cafés can make your dream come true, just make sure to stick with reputable places that put the animals’ well-being first. Focus on cafés that also work with rescue efforts and aim to educate people about the relationship between humans and animals.
For more resources and insights into your furry friends, check out the rest of the Neater Pets blog. Plus, follow us @neaterpets to get even more pet-parenting tips and tricks.