- Aalborg Zoo in Denmark requests unwanted pets for feeding its predators
- Animals are humanely euthanised before being used as natural prey food
- Donated animals include guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, and horses, the zoo said
A zoo in Denmark has made a public appeal to pet owners to donate their unwanted guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens and even horses to feed its predators. The Aalborg Zoo said it was attempting to replicate the natural food chain for its carnivores. It encouraged people to hand over animals to be euthanised and fed to predators inside the facility.
Sharing a picture of an open-mouthed lynx on Instagram, the zoo wrote, "Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs make up an important part of the diet of our predators - especially in the European locust, which needs whole prey, which is reminiscent of what it would naturally hunt in the wild. In zoos, we have a responsibility to imitate the natural food chain of the animals - in terms of both animal welfare and professional integrity."
The zoo added, "If you have an animal that has to leave here for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us. The animals are gently euthanised by trained staff and are afterwards used as fodder. That way, nothing goes to waste - and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators."
The zoo's public plea has sparked a lively debate on the internet. While some are applauding its attempts to preserve natural feeding practices, others are objecting to the concept of making pets into prey.
One user wrote, "A deeply perverse and degrading mindset that is behind this sick invention, which has spread a terrible trend of indifference with animals in Denmark and this only supports this sad underdevelopment. Imagine giving away your pet/animal as fodder, it hardly gets more disrespectful and unworthy than that."
Another added, "I took a horse to the zoo a few years ago, it was the most peaceful and calm way it happened."
In a statement to The Guardian, 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," she added.
Last week, A zoo in Nuremberg, Germany, came under scrutiny after it culled 12 healthy Guinea baboons due to overcrowding in their enclosure. The zoo allegedly fed them to the lions in front of the public.
