Urges Community to Contribute Small Creatures for Predator Feeding at Danish Zoo
In a move that has generated significant controversy, Aalborg Zoo in Denmark has appealed for donations of small animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, and even horses, to be used as food for its captive carnivorous animals. The zoo argues that this practice is common in Denmark and is intended to provide a natural diet for predators like Asiatic lions, tigers, polar bears, and Eurasian lynx by feeding them whole prey resembling their wild diet.
The zoo insists that the animals are humanely euthanized by trained staff or veterinarians before being fed to predators, ensuring no waste and promoting the predators' nutrition and well-being. Horses donated for this purpose must meet health and transport criteria and are euthanized humanely as well. Donors may receive a tax deduction, and sometimes owners can accompany their horse to the zoo for euthanasia.
Public reaction has been sharply divided. While some members of the public defend the practice as natural and pragmatic, citing animal welfare considerations and the zoo's role in replicating natural predator-prey relationships, others have expressed outrage and condemnation. Critics label the practice disrespectful and degrading to pets, and animal rights organizations such as PETA have highlighted ethical concerns about euthanizing pets for food.
However, the facility's chief zoologist, Anette Sofie Warncke Nutzhorn, justifies the donation of small animals for predator food as a practice that has been ongoing at the zoo. She states that the donation of dogs and cats is rare at the zoo. Nutzhorn prefers the donation of small animals to be used as food for predators rather than burying them.
The appeal has received backlash online, with people protesting the idea of healthy pets being used as prey. The zoo provides a link for pet owners to discover more about the donation process, accompanied by a picture of a wildcat baring its teeth.
This practice is not new, as seen in the past with the case of Marius, a two-year-old giraffe that was controversially killed by a Danish zoo in Copenhagen in 2014 to avoid inbreeding. Similarly, a zoo in the German city of Nürnberg sparked controversy last week by killing 12 healthy baboons, despite protests from animal rights groups.
Despite the controversy, the Aalborg Zoo remains open to receiving horses, but there may be a waiting list due to varying needs throughout the year. Horses donated to the scheme should have a passport, and the donation comes with the opportunity for a tax deduction based on the animal's value, which is calculated by its weight.
The Aalborg Zoo justifies the donation of small animals for predator food as a practice that has been ongoing at the zoo, with the chief zoologist, Anette Sofie Warncke Nutzhorn, stating that the donation of dogs and cats is rare. Technology plays a role in the zoo's management, as they provide a link for pet owners to learn more about the donation process, accompanied by an image of a wildcat baring its teeth.
