Danish zoo asks people to donate pets to feed to predators
Aalborg Zoo in northern Jutland issued a call for small healthy animals to be donated to ensure 'nothing goes to waste'.
In a social media post, the zookeepers suggested the animals would be fed to their contingent of European lynxes.
'Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs form an important part of the diet of our predators,' the zoo said. 'Especially the European lynx, which needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild.'
Owners could donate a maximum of four animals, zookeepers said, which would then be euthanised before being used as food.
Aalborg Zoo is also accepting donations of horses to be fed to its animals, provided they are accompanied by the correct paperwork. In Denmark, horse owners can receive tax deductions in some circumstances when donating animals to zoos.
Angry social media users expressed their outrage on the zoo's Instagram page. 'Shame on you,' one Instagram user wrote.
Another said: 'Asking people to send healthy animals that they don't want any more to you, so they can be slaughtered and fed to the zoo animals, is one of the weirdest things I ever read.'
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Zoo in Denmark faces backlash asking for animals to be fed to predators
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A zoo in Denmark is asking for donations of small, healthy but unwanted animals 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 donated animals will be "gently euthanised" by trained staff. 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 pointed to live guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens as possible donations, saying such animals form "an important part of the diet of our predators". After being euthanised, the animals will be used as fodder to be eaten whole by the predators, the zoo said. The zoo said its Eurasian lynx "needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild". Source: Getty / Arterra/Universal Images Group "That way, nothing goes to waste — and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and well-being of our predators," the zoo said. In particular, it cited the Eurasian lynx, "which needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild". The online call for donations is accompanied by a picture of a lynx baring its teeth with its mouth wide open and a link to the zoo's website. The facility has also said it's interested in receiving horses that have not been treated for illness in the past 30 days and have an eligible 'horse passport'. The zoo does not list other animals as possible donations. Zoo official says request 'makes sense' The zoo's Instagram page has received a flood of comments criticising its callout, and it has since removed the ability to comment on the original post in response to what it called "hateful" remarks. Pia Nielsen, the zoo's deputy director, has defended the request, saying the zoo had fed its carnivores with smaller livestock for many years. Nielsen said it was necessary to provide them with meat, preferably with fur and bones, in order to give the animals "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." Anette Sofie Warncke Nutzhorn, one of the zoo's managers, told Agence France-Presse that it was "looking for small livestock, not pets", using the example of a chicken that doesn't lay eggs anymore. Practices at Danish 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. — With additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
News.com.au
2 days ago
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‘Nothing goes to waste': Aalborg Zoo in Denmark asks owners to donate pets as food for its predators
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