Fur real? Denmark zoo asks pet owners to donate healthy animals to feed its predators
"If you have an animal that, for various reasons, needs to be rehomed, you are welcome to donate it to us. The animals are euthanised humanely by trained personnel and then used as feed. In this way, nothing goes to waste, and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition, and well-being for our predators," the zoo said on social media.
Its officials argued that imitating the natural food chain is part of their ethical responsibility. "In zoos, we have a responsibility to mimic the animals' natural food chain, for the sake of both animal welfare and professional integrity."
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The Herald
5 days ago
- The Herald
Would you donate your pet? Danish zoo slammed for requesting animal donations to feed its carnivores
Aalborg Zoo in Denmark has ignited fierce debate after it appealed to the public on social media to donate their healthy but unwanted pets to feed the zoo's carnivores. Some of the animals allowed for donation include chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs and even horses. The zoo defended the practice as part of its mission to maintain the natural behaviours and dietary needs of its predators such as tigers, lions, polar bears and lynx. 'Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs make up an important part of the diet of our predators - especially the European lynx which needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild,' said Aalborg Zoo. '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 post explained that donated animals are 'gently euthanised by trained staff' before being used as food. 'That way, nothing goes to waste and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and wellbeing of our predators,' said the zoo. On its website the zoo said their policy also accepts live horses as donations. The zoo said animals must meet strict health and transport conditions including having a horse passport and being off any medical treatments for at least 30 days and that there may be a waiting list for such donations. The zoo said it does not pay for the animals but allows donors to claim a tax deduction of DKK 5 (about R13) per kilogram of the horse's weight if they provide their personal tax number. 'If you do not wish to provide your CPR number to obtain a tax deduction, we are still happy to accept the horse,' said the zoo. For smaller animals like chickens and guinea pigs, the zoo said it accepts up to four at a time on weekdays between 10am and 1pm and that bulk donations require appointments. While some praised the zoo's initiative as a pragmatic and ethical approach to waste and wildlife care, others were horrified by the idea of pets ending up as predator meals. Facebook user Sandy Hsiao said: 'How is putting a dead pet on a plate for a caged animal anything close to re-enactment of the nature.' Another Facebook user Eva Høgh defended the idea as a humane solution. 'Good initiative rather than being thrown in the trash when they are not cute any more, or the neighbour is tired of your hens suddenly getting roosters that are noisy and illegal within the city limits,' said Høgh. This isn't the first time zoos have turned to the public for help with feeding carnivores. The Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in New Mexico for example accepts donations of dead livestock or animals that need to be humanely euthanised, noting it's better than 'having to dispose of the deceased in a landfill'. The Alaska Zoo recently put out a call for frozen meat and fish donations.
The South African
5 days ago
- The South African
Have animals you're not using? This zoo needs to feed its predators
Any chickens or rabbits to spare? Denmark's Aalborg Zoo is seeking animals to feed to its predators — after they have been euthanised – a plea that has sparked a public backlash. 'We are looking for small livestock, not pets,' Anette Sofie Warncke Nutzhorn, one of the zoo's managers, told AFP on Tuesday. 'It can be for instance a chicken that doesn't lay eggs anymore.' 'Predators usually catch prey of this size, so it's like the natural course,' she added. The zoo has found itself in hot water since sending out the appeal in social media. 'If you have an animal that, for various reasons, has to go, you are welcome to donate it to us,' it wrote last week. The Denmark zoo specified that it was looking in particular for chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs and horses. 'The animals are carefully put down by qualified staff and then used as food,' it said. Only healthy animals are accepted by the zoo, which has been accepting donated animals for several years. 'It is a very common practice, we were just sending a friendly reminder,' Warncke Nutzhorn said. The zoo later turned off the comments section on the social media post in response to what it called 'hateful' postings. Practices at Denmark zoos, particularly the euthanasia of healthy animals to limit the risk of inbreeding, have in the past triggered fierce international criticism. In 2014, a giraffe calf named Marius was put down at the Copenhagen Zoo and staff later performed an autopsy on the carcass in front of visitors, before feeding it to the lions. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news. © Agence France-Presse
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Would you donate your pet? Danish zoo slammed for requesting animal donations to feed its carnivores
Aalborg Zoo in Denmark has ignited fierce debate after it appealed to the public on social media to donate their healthy but unwanted pets to feed the zoo's carnivores. Some of the animals allowed for donation include chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs and even horses. The zoo defended the practice as part of its mission to maintain the natural behaviours and dietary needs of its predators such as tigers, lions, polar bears and lynx. 'Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs make up an important part of the diet of our predators - especially the European lynx which needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild,' said Aalborg Zoo. '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 post explained that donated animals are 'gently euthanised by trained staff' before being used as food. 'That way, nothing goes to waste and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and wellbeing of our predators,' said the zoo. On its website the zoo said their policy also accepts live horses as donations. The zoo said animals must meet strict health and transport conditions including having a horse passport and being off any medical treatments for at least 30 days and that there may be a waiting list for such donations. The zoo said it does not pay for the animals but allows donors to claim a tax deduction of DKK 5 (about R13) per kilogram of the horse's weight if they provide their personal tax number. 'If you do not wish to provide your CPR number to obtain a tax deduction, we are still happy to accept the horse,' said the zoo. For smaller animals like chickens and guinea pigs, the zoo said it accepts up to four at a time on weekdays between 10am and 1pm and that bulk donations require appointments. While some praised the zoo's initiative as a pragmatic and ethical approach to waste and wildlife care, others were horrified by the idea of pets ending up as predator meals. Facebook user Sandy Hsiao said: 'How is putting a dead pet on a plate for a caged animal anything close to re-enactment of the nature.' Another Facebook user Eva Høgh defended the idea as a humane solution. 'Good initiative rather than being thrown in the trash when they are not cute any more, or the neighbour is tired of your hens suddenly getting roosters that are noisy and illegal within the city limits,' said Høgh. This isn't the first time zoos have turned to the public for help with feeding carnivores. The Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in New Mexico for example accepts donations of dead livestock or animals that need to be humanely euthanised, noting it's better than 'having to dispose of the deceased in a landfill'. The Alaska Zoo recently put out a call for frozen meat and fish donations.
