A zoo in Denmark has called out to the public to donate healthy chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs to feed to its predator residents.
In a translated social media post, Aalborg Zoo stated that these animals “make up an important part of the diet of our predators – especially the European lynx, which needs whole prey that is reminiscent of what it would naturally hunt in the wild.”
These donations, the zoo said, would help it fulfil its “responsibility to imitate the natural food chain of the animals”, something that it stated supports “both animal welfare and professional integrity.”
The zoo’s website also states that it accepts live horses, as long as they are healthy, have a horse passport, and are below a certain size.
“If you have a healthy animal that needs to be put down for various reasons, you are welcome to donate it to us. The animals are gently euthanized by trained staff and then used as food. That way, nothing goes to waste – and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and wellbeing of our predators,” the zoo added.
The call for donations has drawn a pretty significant response, some of which was criticism; one commenter described the scheme as “absolutely unacceptable”, while another called it a “sick invention.”
Others have shown support, with some commenters having described their experiences taking horses and other pets to the zoo as a “nice and professional experience” and “the quietest and most serene” process.
Some pointed out that it stands as an alternative to people abandoning their pets, which is no small phenomenon – in the US, for example, 29 percent of shelter animals in 2024 were surrendered pets, while 60 percent of the dogs and cats that entered shelters came in as strays (although it should be noted that Aalborg Zoo hasn’t mentioned these particular animals). Pet abandonment can also contribute to the rise of invasive species, something that can have a serious ecological impact.
Comments on the zoo’s Instagram and Facebook posts have since been turned off.
In a statement to The Guardian, Pia Nielsen, Aalborg Zoo’s deputy director, said: “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.”
“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.”
