Question:
is a pregnant woman allowed to attend a zoo, what about a bird house
Answer:
There certainly is no halachic prohibition, there are however those how say that she should abstain from going to a zoo however other permit it. Regarding a bird house, I haven’t seen anything on this, but I don’t think the minhag is to be concerned about this..
Sources:
Vaheyi Bnosoa 7- ftnt 71, in the name of R’ T. Weiss shlit”a that it is permitted, andthis is the common practice. This is also the opinion of R’ S. Felder shlit”a brought in Ashrei Yilatdito pg. 31 ftnt 25, Bnei Beischa pg. 332. Some say that she shouldn’t go to a zoo because she shouldn’t look at briyos temeyos, see Shiras Haguf Vhanefesh 237-2, and Invei Hagefen 2-12 (10). Others say because the animals may scare her, see Invei Hagefen 2-12 (10), Migdal Oz chalon tzurey 32 that thus was the opinion of Harav Tuvia Goldstein zt”l. Others say that this is only if she contemplates on the unclean animals.
