Danish zoo asks pet owners to donate rabbits and horses to feed its predators
Aalborg zoo has urged willing chicken, rabbit and guinea pig owners to hand over their pets to be eaten whole by animals including European lynx.
Live donations, it said, would be killed by trained staff. It promised that 'nothing goes to waste', and also said it would 'gratefully' receive live horses.
The zoo said such animals were needed in order to 'imitate the animals' natural food chain – for the sake of both animal welfare and professional integrity'.
'Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs form an important part of the diet of our predators,' Aalborg zoo wrote in a social media post alongside a picture of an openmouthed lynx. 'Especially the European lynx, which needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild.'
It added: 'If you have a healthy animal that needs to be put down for various reasons, you are welcome to donate it to us. The animals are gently euthanised by trained staff and then used as food. That way, nothing goes to waste – and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and wellbeing of our predators.'
To find out more about the scheme, pet owners are encouraged to click on a web link – illustrated by a tiger tucking into a hunk of meat – that outlines the finer details of its pet euthanasia scheme.
The zoo also said it would welcome horses, which would be slaughtered for food. 'Our needs vary throughout the year and there may be a waiting list,' it added.
Any horse donated to the zoo must have a horse passport and come with the opportunity for a tax deduction on the horse's value, which is calculated on the basis of its weight.
The social media post has attracted a wide array of reactions and comments. Some criticised the appeal, with one describing it as a 'sick invention'.
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Others spoke out in support. 'I took a horse to the zoo a few years ago,' said one. 'It was the most peaceful and calm way it happened.'
Pia Nielsen, deputy director of Aalborg zoo, said: 'For many years at Aalborg Zoo, we have fed our carnivores with smaller livestock. When keeping carnivores, it is necessary to provide them with meat, preferably with fur, bones etc to give them as natural a diet as possible.
'Therefore, it makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanised for various reasons to be of use in this way. In Denmark, this practice is common, and many of our guests and partners appreciate the opportunity to contribute. The livestock we receive as donations are chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and horses.'
Last week a zoo in Nuremberg, Germany, prompted outcry – including from a woman who glued her hands to the ground near the zoo entrance in protest - after culling 12 healthy Guinea baboons due to overcrowding in their enclosure and reportedly feeding them to the lions in view of the public.
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Aalborg Zoo in Denmark has appealed to the public for donations of healthy, live small pets, including chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs. These animals are intended to be used as food for the zoo's predators, such as the Eurasian lynx, to simulate natural feeding chains and promote animal welfare. The zoo has assured donors that all animals will be humanely euthanised by trained staff before being used as fodder, ensuring no waste. The appeal also includes horses, with the zoo offering a potential tax deduction for donors based on the animal's weight and requiring a horse passport. The initiative has received mixed reactions online, with some critics describing it as 'deeply perverse' while others have shared positive experiences of donating animals. Zoo urges people to donate their unwanted pets to feed their predators
