One of Denmark’s largest zoos, Aalborg Zoo, embraces a philosophy of nature and aims to give visitors an immersive experience. Recently, the zoo openly called on the public to donate healthy unwanted pets as prey for the carnivorous animals in the zoo. They emphasized, “We have a responsibility to mimic the animals’ natural food chain.”
According to a report by the BBC, Aalborg Zoo houses over 150 species of animals. It is not only the first zoo in the world to be environmentally certified, but also dedicates itself to protecting endangered species and actively participates in international breeding programs. Recently, the zoo posted on social media urging the public to donate healthy unwanted pets so that lions, tigers, lynxes, and other carnivores can hunt them.
“We have a responsibility to mimic the animals’ natural food chain, which we do both for the welfare of the animals and our professional ethics,” the zoo stated. Animals such as chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs are important parts of the natural food chain, and the zoo will entrust these animals to trained staff so they can be “gently euthanized.”
The Zoo Accepts Live Horse Donations
The zoo explained that the public does not need to make an appointment in advance; they can bring their pets to the zoo for donation on weekdays, with a limit of four animals per visit. If you want to donate more than four animals at once, you can contact them for transportation arrangements. Moreover, the zoo accepts live horse donations, but the horse must have a passport and must not have received disease treatment in the past 30 days. Those who successfully donate a horse can receive a tax deduction.
The zoo’s deputy director, Nielsen, pointed out that the zoo’s carnivores have fed on small livestock for years, but in raising these carnivorous animals, they need to be given meat, preferably with fur and bones, so that they can eat as naturally as possible.
After the news came out, many netizens were shocked, commenting: “Using pets as animal feed is absolutely unacceptable,” “Imagine giving your pet or animal to someone as food – this is simply outrageous and undignified,” and “The zoo is sending a terrible message: you can just easily and quickly dump your animal. Zoos are not always animals’ best friends; people need to learn to be responsible.”
Others believe, “This is a good solution to keep people from simply tossing their pets in the trash once they’re not cute anymore,” “I think this is better than leaving these poor animals in the forest to fend for themselves,” and “For a pet that lived a good life, this is actually a dignified ending.” (News Source: CTWANT)