The days of having animals as part of the Storybook Gardens experience may be numbered.

A number of animals had to be relocated after a fire destroyed the Storybook Gardens barn, but the expectation was that the barn would be rebuilt and the animals returned.

But a staff report from the city's Parks and Recreation department says bringing them back may not be the best course of action.

The report says the animals aren't key to attracting visitors to Storybook, pointing to one survey which found only five of 3,500 people surveyed identified the animals as a reason for visiting the park.

Staff is recommending they be transferred to appropriate lifelong homes.

Not bringing the animals back would also mean the barn would not have to be rebuilt.