In a Facebook post that has stirred a lot of big feelings, a zoo in Denmark reminded the public that it accepts the donation of small pets like rabbits, chickens, and guinea pigs to use as feed for its predators. The Aalborg Zoo says that it will gratefully accept unwanted animals, which are then “gently euthanized by trained staff” and given to animals like the zoo’s European lynx as part of their diet.
A page on the zoo’s website also notes that it accepts live horses, which it then euthanizes and slaughters, for the same purpose. The Facebook post, which was created on July 31, sparked a heated debate between those for and against the practice. Zoo officials later updated the post with a message saying they’ve closed the comments section due to “hateful and malicious rhetoric,” but they are still happy to answer questions via private message or email.
Prior to the post’s closure, one commenter did try to lighten the mood, asking, “What if you have gotten tired of some of your children this holiday?” The zoo cheekily replied, “Here we only accept animals with feathers or fur… fortunately, a couple of hours here always creates happy children (and a good reason for early bedtime).”
There were, however, harsh critics of this policy, which the zoo says it does in order to mimic its animals’ “natural food chain.” One commenter said it was a “deeply perverse and degrading mindset” that contributed to a “terrible trend of indifference to animals in Denmark.” While others supported the measures, with one stating, “It is much better for an unwanted pet to come to you and be humanely euthanized than for it to be thrown out of a car in a forest.”
Sandrine Camus, a spokeswoman for the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, spoke with The New York Times and mentioned that while most zoos order their meat from a licensed supplier, there were times when alternative sources of meat, such as roadkill, could be used, “provided all welfare and legal conditions are met.”
“While such cases are rare and handled with great care,” she clarified, “using them for feeding avoids unnecessary waste and supports a more naturalistic feeding regime for predators.”
Though this method may be shocking for some, donating animals whose end of life is imminent is not an uncommon process. One South African Reddit user points out that this is common practice in their country as well, explaining, “I’ve been a horse owner for 20 years, and it’s common to donate horses to lion and cheetah sanctuaries.”
Whatever side of the debate you land on, there is no denying that Aalborg Zoo’s policies are cause for reflection both on our responsibilities as pet owners and the role of zoos in the well-being of their animals.
Source: Zoo Encourages Public to Donate Unwanted Pets to Help Feed Resident Animals; A Zoo in Denmark Wants to Feed Your Pets to Its Predators
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