2025-08-06 13:23:28
A Danish Zoo has been criticised for asking people to donate their unwanted “smaller pets” as food for its predators.
Aalborg Zoo, located in Aalborg, Denmark, said in a post on its Facebook page that people can hand in chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs.
These animals “make up an important part of the diet” for some of their big species, including the European lynx.
And these predators need “whole prey, which is reminiscent of what it would naturally hunt in the wild”.
Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs can be given, but “no more than four at a time”, and the zoo assured that the donated pets will be “gently euthanised” by trained staff.
However, the Facebook post sparked outrage in the post’s comments section.
One user raged: “How disgusting. Having your healthy pet killed.
“This is how people are encouraged to stop thinking twice before getting a pet, because, well, they can get rid of it anyway, thanks to the Aalborg Zoo!”
A second person fumed: “How sick are you to think of something like that?”
And a third commenter penned: “Insane!”
Pia Nielsen, Aalborg Zoo’s deputy director, said: “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.
“It makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanised for various reasons to be of use in this way.”
The Facebook post, which was shared on July 31, read: “Did you know that you can donate smaller pets to Aalborg Zoo?
“Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs make up an important part of the diet of our predators – especially in the European locust, which needs whole prey, which is reminiscent of what it would naturally hunt in the wild.
“In zoos we have a responsibility to imitate the natural food chain of the animals – in terms of both animal welfare and professional integrity.
“If you have an animal that has to leave here for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us.
“The animals are gently euthanized by trained staff and are afterwards used as fodder. That way, nothing goes to waste – and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators.”
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