Latest news with #Sohl
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Mom feeds daughter's pony to lions and has no regrets, calls it ‘circle of life,' sparking nature vs cruelty debate
When most people say goodbye to a beloved pet, they choose burial, cremation, or a quiet vet visit. But for Danish mother Pernille Sohl, the farewell for her teenage daughter's pony involved a 150-mile drive to Aalborg Zoo — and the lions' lunch menu. According to a report from The Times , the decision, which Sohl insists was both compassionate and practical, has ignited an international debate on morality, ecology, and the 'circle of life.' A Painful Condition and a Difficult Choice Chicago 57, a 22-year-old German riding pony, had been battling a severe eczema-like skin condition that worsened in summer. Mosquito bites left him with painful open wounds, forcing him to wear protective gear just to move comfortably. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program By 2020, Sohl knew his quality of life had declined beyond recovery. She offered her daughter, Angelina — then 13 — the final say. 'I gave Angelina the various options and she chose the one with the zoo, because it made the most sense,' Sohl told The Times . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Instant Payment for Used Cars Cars24 - Sell Your Car Sell Now Undo Angelina had previously witnessed a vet-led euthanasia and found it distressing. This time, she wanted Chicago 57's passing to benefit other animals. From Farm to Predator Feast Aalborg Zoo, one of Denmark's busiest tourist attractions, was the only facility that could accept Chicago 57 at short notice. Upon arrival, the pony was humanely euthanised with a bolt gun while a zookeeper comforted him. 'There was a zookeeper standing there cuddling and kissing him — as if it was me standing with him,' Sohl recalled. His body was then fed to the lions. You Might Also Like: Can your pet do Math? Science says some animals might be quietly crunching numbers Sohl was so impressed with the process that she later tried to donate another horse, but it exceeded the zoo's maximum storage size of 147 cm and ended up as dog food. An Old Practice That Divides Opinion Aalborg Zoo has accepted animal donations for predator feeding since its founding in 1935. In 2024 alone, the zoo received 22 horses, 137 rabbits, 53 chickens, and 18 guinea pigs. All are euthanised by trained staff before being given whole to lions, tigers, lynxes, and other carnivores. The zoo explains on its website: 'Predators need whole prey — including fur, bones and organs — as it contributes to both enrichment, nutrition and wellbeing.' It is not an isolated policy. Copenhagen Zoo accepts around 50 horses a year, while Jyllands Park Zoo runs a similar programme. Healthy horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, and chickens are eligible, but cats and dogs are strictly prohibited. You Might Also Like: Man visits shelter and dog adorably refuses to let go of him. What happened next will move you to tears Supporters See Nature, Critics See Cruelty To supporters like Sohl, the decision reflects a natural life cycle and prevents waste. 'It might sound dramatic and bizarre that you would feed your pet to animals in the zoo,' she said, 'but they are going to be put down anyway.' Helen Hjortholm Andersen, another Danish owner, took her Shetland pony Paprika to Jyllands Park Zoo when it could no longer walk. She described the alternative — costly disposal and removal alongside other dead animals — as both expensive and impersonal. 'The idea that she could be of benefit made sense,' Andersen said. 💡 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝘂, 𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝘂 𝗸𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗱𝘆𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗔𝗮𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗴 𝗭𝗼𝗼?Høns, kaniner og marsvin udgør en vigtig del af kosten hos... Posted by Aalborg Zoo on Thursday, July 31, 2025 But not everyone agrees. Aalborg Zoo's recent Facebook appeal for more animal donations sparked global backlash, leading the zoo to disable comments after receiving hostile responses. 'We understand that the post awakens feelings and interest, but hateful and malicious rhetoric is not necessary,' the zoo posted. For Sohl and others, the choice was never about cruelty but about making a final act meaningful. 'She wanted Chicago 57 to benefit other animals,' Sohl said of her daughter. And in Aalborg, the lions roared their approval.
NDTV
5 days ago
- General
- NDTV
Denmark Woman Reveals Why She Donated Daughter's Pony To Feed Lions In Zoo
A 44-year-old Danish woman revealed that she once decided to donate her daughter's 22-year-old pony to Aalborg Zoo to be euthanised and fed to lions due to the pet's severe eczema and excruciating pain. Her comments came amid recent backlash against Aalborg Zoo after it asked people to donate small and healthy pets to be used as food for captive predators. The woman, named Pernille Sohl, told The Times that in 2020, she decided that Chicago 57, a German riding pony, had to be put down. While speaking to the outlet, she said she understood how the decision may sound "very dramatic and bizarre". However, the animals being sent to the zoo were "going to be put down anyway". "But they are going to be put down anyway, and it is not like they are alive when they are given to the predators," Sohl added. Sohl told the outlet that she runs a small farm in Assens, Denmark. Children with mental health issues visit the farm and spend time with horses. Aalborg Zoo says it imitates the natural food chain for its predators, citing animal welfare and professional integrity. Donors receive a tax deduction of DKK100 (£11.60) for small animals and DKK5 (58p) per kilogram for larger animals like horses. So far this year, the zoo has received 22 horses, 53 chickens, 137 rabbits, and 18 guinea pigs as donations. Although Sohl did not receive any payment from Aalborg Zoo, she would get a tax rebate. Another woman, Helen Hjortholm Andersen, donated her Shetland pony, Paprika, to Jyllands Park Zoo due to high costs associated with removing a dead animal. She supports the idea of pets benefiting other animals. Aalborg Zoo's Appeal Recently, the zoo asked for "unwanted animals" such as chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs. They said that the pet animals would be "gently euthanized" and then fed to carnivores. "Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs form 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," the zoo wrote. "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 continued. "That way, nothing goes to waste - and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators."
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
'I gave my daughter's pony to a zoo to be eaten by lions - I have no regrets'
Pernille Sohl, from Denmark, decided to send her daughter's pony to Aalborg Zoo after it launched a 'food drive' to mimic the natural diets of its resident predators A mum who sent her daughter's pony to become lion food has said she doesn't regret the move - but acknowledges it may appear to have been "dramatic and bizarre". Most mothers would choose to take their children's sick pets to the vet, but Pernille Sohl decided that when her daughter's pony fell ill that it should be donated to a local zoo. Ms Sohl, 44, from Denmark, took the animal to the Aalborg Zoo in the country's north. Staff at Aalborg, a hugely popular tourist attraction that cares for more than 1,500 animals across 126 species, had launched a "food drive" in a bid to mimic its resident predators' natural food chain. Ms Sohl chose to make the horse "whole prey" for the Aalborg lions, and has been shocked by backlash she has received following the decision. It comes after an octopus 'climbed out of aquarium tank' and 'tried to eat a boy' in front of his mum. READ MORE: Police shame British drugs mules by making them pose for photos with suitcases Speaking to The Times, the mum said she understood how the decision may sound "very dramatic and bizarre", but added the animals being sent to the zoo were "going to be put down anyway". She said: "It might sound very dramatic and bizarre that you would feed your pet to animals in the zoo. "But they are going to be put down anyway and it is not like they are alive when they are given to the predators." Ms Sohl isn't the only mum who has decided to send her child's beloved pet to become food for predators, with dozens of people having followed suit, according to the zoo. Staff say the appeal has yielded donations of 22 horses, 18 guinea pigs, 53 chickens and 137 rabbits. All donors receive a DKK100 (£11.60) tax reduction for each small animal, and DKK5 (58p) per kilogram for larger horses. In a post on Instagram, the zoo said all animals are "gently euthanised by trained staff" before they are fed to the animals. Using donated whole animals instead of slabs of pre-prepared meat ensures "nothing goes to waste" the zoo states, and that "natural behaviour, nutrition and [the] well-being of predators" is ensured. Aalborg isn't the only zoo using donations to feed its predators, with Helen Hjortholm Andersen, from Jutland, having donated her Shetland pony to Jyllands Park Zoo after she was told to leave it to die in a field. She said it "made sense" to send the 20-year-old pony, named Paprika, to the zoo, as the costs of collecting a dead animal were "grotesquely high". She said: "The idea that she could be of benefit made sense. We would do it again. We like the idea of the cycle of life, and that a pony can help to create life for other animals."
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Scottish Highland bull on the loose in Connecticut's rural hill country
KENT, Conn. (AP) — A Scottish Highland bull is the talk of the town in the rural hills of western Connecticut, where it has been roaming for over a month in the frigid winter weather after escaping from its confines. Local residents have reported sporadic sightings, including a few over the past week, said Lee Sohl, the animal control officer in Kent. It was recently seen just over the town line in New Milford. 'People keep spotting it and they don't know that people are looking for it,' Sohl said in a phone interview Thursday. 'If somebody calls me about a sighting, then I tell the owner and they've been doing their best. They run right out and try to get to it. But it's hard. It's hard in this weather, and it's very scared.' See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. The owner, Jo Ann Joray, said there have been people out looking for the bull, but they haven't been able to catch it. Photos posted on social media by people who have spotted the bull have drawn a range of comments, from ones expressing sympathy for its plight, to others saying the bull is adorable to one saying it would produce good steaks. Stray farm animals are nothing new in the area. Cows, horses and goats get loose on occasion, Sohl said. 'That's just where we live,' she said. The bull's story evoked memories of Buddy the beefalo, a bison hybrid who roamed the woods in central Connecticut for months in 2020 and 2021 after escaping on the way to the slaughterhouse. Buddy was eventually caught and moved to a Florida animal sanctuary. Scottish Highland cattle are known as a hardy breed that can live outside all year, according to the Highland Cattle Society in Scotland. That's good for the Connecticut bull because temperatures have been below freezing for several days.
The Independent
20-02-2025
- General
- The Independent
Scottish Highland bull on the loose in Connecticut's rural hill country
A Scottish Highland bull is the talk of the town in the rural hills of western Connecticut, where it has been roaming for over a month in the frigid winter weather after escaping from its confines. Local residents have reported sporadic sightings, including a few over the past week, said Lee Sohl, the animal control officer in Kent. It was recently seen just over the town line in New Milford. ' People keep spotting it and they don't know that people are looking for it,' Sohl said in a phone interview Thursday. 'If somebody calls me about a sighting, then I tell the owner and they've been doing their best. They run right out and try to get to it. But it's hard. It's hard in this weather, and it's very scared.' The owner, Jo Ann Joray, said there have been people out looking for the bull, but they haven't been able to catch it. Photos posted on social media by people who have spotted the bull have drawn a range of comments, from ones expressing sympathy for its plight, to others saying the bull is adorable to one saying it would produce good steaks. Stray farm animals are nothing new in the area. Cows, horses and goats get loose on occasion, Sohl said. 'That's just where we live,' she said. The bull's story evoked memories of Buddy the beefalo, a bison hybrid who roamed the woods in central Connecticut for months in 2020 and 2021 after escaping on the way to the slaughterhouse. Buddy was eventually caught and moved to a Florida animal sanctuary. Scottish Highland cattle are known as a hardy breed that can live outside all year, according to the Highland Cattle Society in Scotland. That's good for the Connecticut bull because temperatures have been below freezing for several days.
