Zoo calls for small pet donations to feed its carnivores

Yahoo

05-08-2025

Aalborg Zoo in northern Denmark is looking for donations. Not the financial kind, but the animal kind. The zoo is asking for donations of small pets to serve as food for its predators.
According to the zoo, it is trying to mimic the natural food chain for the animals housed there. They put out the call for anyone with healthy animals that need to be given away. Financial hardship is often cited as a reason that pets are abandoned, in addition to behavioral issues and major life change.
'Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs make up an important part of the diet of our predators – especially in the European locus, which needs whole prey, which is reminiscent of what it would naturally hunt in the wild,' the zoo wrote in a translated Facebook post.
The post explains that after the animals will be 'gently euthanized by trained staff,' they will be used to feed the animals.
'That way, nothing goes to waste–and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators,' the zoo wrote.
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The zoo's website also notes that it is interested in receiving horses, as long as they are no more than 4.8 feet-tall at its tallest point (the base of the neck, between the shoulder blades), have not been treated for any illness within 30 days, and have a valid horse passport.
'We have both large and small carnivores in Aalborg,' spokesperson Pia Nielsen told Popular Science via email. 'We place great emphasis on the animals' health. We monitor them daily, have daily veterinary checks, and assess their welfare based on these daily observations. Carnivores represent an important and diverse group of animals in nature. They fill a central niche in ecosystems and play a crucial role in the balance of nature. At the same time, predators evoke both fascination and curiosity – and help communicate important messages about the connections in nature and biodiversity.'
Some other zoos will accept donations of animals from the public. While Brookfield Zoo Chicago does not accept domestic animals (rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, ferrets, cats, dogs, parakeets, and farm animals), it will take 'captive bred reptiles, exotic birds and mammals …on a limited case by case basis,' according to its donation page. The Alaska Zoo in Anchorage also accepts donations of frozen and packaged beef, game meat, poultry and fish. The rising cost of meat has also prompted other zoos to ask for meat donations.
'For many years at Aalborg Zoo, we have fed our carnivores with smaller livestock,' says Nielsen. 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 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.'
UPDATE, August 4, 2025, 12:13 p.m. EDT: We've updated the original story with comments from Aalborg Zoo.
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