Denmark zoo asks public to donate unwanted small pets or horses to feed captive predators
"In zoos, we have a responsibility to imitate the natural food chain of the animals - in terms of both animal welfare and professional integrity," Aalborg Zoo said in a post on social media.
The zoo in northern Denmark said that chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs were an important part of the diet of its predators, which need "whole prey," reminiscent of what they would hunt in the wild.
"If you have a healthy animal that has to leave here for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us. The animals are gently euthanized by trained staff and are afterwards used as fodder. That way, nothing goes to waste - and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being for our predators," Aalborg Zoo said.
The zoo said it accepts donated rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., but no more than four at a time.
It also accepts horses for feeding its animals, which it says on its website are euthanized by a zookeeper and a veterinarian.
Horses to be donated for animal food must not have been treated for illness for at least a month, and are subject to size restrictions, the zoo said on its website. They must also be in a condition where it is safe for them to be transported.
Given that the horse is a donation, the donor can receive a tax deduction for the value of the horse.
"Our needs vary throughout the year, and there may be a waiting list," Aalborg Zoo said.
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2 hours ago
Denmark zoo asks for people to donate their pets to feed its predators
LONDON -- A Denmark zoo is asking the public to donate their pets -- particularly chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs -- so that they can feed them to the zoo's predators. '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 Aalborg Zoo said in a statement last Thursday. The zoo also said they would accept larger animals, such as horses, which they euthanize and slaughter for food, though they said that the zoo's needs vary throughout the year and there might be a waiting list. For horses, Aalborg Zoo receives the horse as a donation and the owner of the horse can obtain a tax deduction for the value of the horse, according to the zoo's website. The zoo also said they will 'accept chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., but no more than four at a time.' The purpose of the zoo's program is to make sure 'nothing goes to waste -- and [to] ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators,' according to the zoo's website. ABC News has reached out to Aalborg Zoo for comment. The practice is not unheard of in Denmark and, in 2014, the Copenhagen Zoo garnered attention on social media when it killed a healthy giraffe and fed it to their predators. Four lions, including two cubs, were also euthanized several weeks later to make room for a new male lion in the Danish zoo. The lions were euthanized for not being able to defend themselves against him, zoo officials said at the time. 'If you have an animal that has to leave here for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us,' the zoo said. 'The animals are gently euthanized by trained staff and are afterwards used as fodder.'
New York Post
4 hours ago
- New York Post
Denmark zoo asks people to donate their pets as food for its predators
A zoo in Denmark is asking for donations of small pets as food for its predators. The Aalborg Zoo said it is trying to mimic the natural food chain of the animals housed there 'for the sake of both animal welfare and professional integrity' and offers assurances the pets will be 'gently euthanized' by trained staff. 3 The Aalborg Zoo in Denmark is asking for donations of small pets as food for its predators. Getty Images The zoo in northern Denmark explained in a Facebook post that 'if you have a healthy animal that needs to be given away for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us.' The zoo points to guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens as possible donations. After being euthanized, the animals will be used as fodder, the zoo said. 'That way, nothing goes to waste — and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators,' the zoo said. The online call for pet donations is accompanied by a picture of a wildcat baring its teeth with its mouth wide open and a link to the zoo's website, noting the facility also is interested in receiving horses. 3 Staff said it is trying to mimic the natural food chain of the animals housed at the zoo. Getty Images 3 The zoo assures the pets will be 'gently euthanized' by trained staff. Getty Images The zoo, which could not immediately be reached for additional details, does not list other pets or animals as possible donations.
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7 hours ago
- CNN
Denmark zoo asks people to donate unwanted pets to feed predators and imitate ‘natural food chain'
A zoo in northern Denmark is asking pet owners to donate their unwanted guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens and even small horses – not to put them on display but to feed them to the zoo's predators. The Aalborg Zoo wrote in a Facebook post that it is trying to 'imitate the natural food chain of the animals'. 'Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs form an important part of the diet of our predators,' it wrote in the post alongside an image of openmouthed, sharp-toothed lynx. 'That way, nothing goes to waste — and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators,' the zoo added. On its website, the zoo said the donated animals will be 'gently euthanized' by trained staff before being served up as food. The zoo is home to carnivorous predators such as the Asiatic lion, European lynx and Sumatran tiger. The zoo's public request has drawn lively debate online with some protesting the idea of turning pets into prey, and others praising the zoo's efforts to maintain natural feeding behaviors. Deputy director of Aalborg Zoo, Pia Nielsen, said in a statement shared by The Guardian the initiative has been in place for years and is common practice in Denmark. '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,' Nielsen said. 'Therefore, it makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanized 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.' CNN has reached out to Aalborg Zoo for comment. It's not the first time that Denmark's zoos have come under scrutiny for the way they feed their animals and control populations. In 2014, the Copenhagen Zoo in the Danish capital euthanized a healthy young giraffe named Marius to avoid inbreeding, despite a petition trying to stop the move. Its carcass was used partly for research and partly to feed carnivores at the zoo – lions, tigers, and leopards. Weeks later, public criticism flared again when the zoo euthanized four of those lions, to make way for a new male in hopes to breed a new generation of cubs.
