Zoo requests pets to be donated for their captive predators – all to preserve the ‘natural food chain’

A zoo in northern Denmark has sparked controversy after publicly asking pet owners to donate their unwanted guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens and even small horses to feed the facility’s predators. The Aalborg Zoo made the unusual request through a Facebook post, explaining that the animals would not be put on display but would instead become food for carnivorous animals at the facility.

According to CNN, the zoo’s social media post featured an image of a sharp-toothed lynx with open mouths and explained the reasoning behind the initiative. The facility stated that chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs form an important part of the diet for their predators, and this approach ensures nothing goes to waste while promoting natural behavior, nutrition and well-being among the carnivorous animals.

The zoo wrote that it is trying to “imitate the natural food chain of the animals” through this feeding program. According to information on the zoo’s website, donated animals will be gently euthanized by trained staff before being served as food to predators. The Aalborg Zoo houses several carnivorous species, including Asiatic lions, European lynx, and Sumatran tigers, all of which require meat-based diets to maintain their health.

Zoo defends long-standing practice amid public criticism

The public request has generated intense discussion online, with reactions split between those who oppose the idea. Like many controversial social media debates, the discussion has drawn passionate responses from both sides of turning pets into prey and others who support the zoo’s efforts to maintain natural feeding behaviors among captive predators. Some critics have expressed discomfort with the concept of beloved household animals being used as food, while supporters argue it represents a practical and environmentally conscious approach to animal care.

Deputy director Pia Nielsen defended the initiative in a statement, emphasizing that this practice has been in place at the zoo for many years and is common throughout Denmark. Nielsen explained that keeping carnivores requires providing them with meat, preferably including fur and bones, to give them as natural a diet as possible. She noted that it makes sense to use animals that need to be euthanized for various reasons rather than letting them go to waste.

Nielsen further clarified that the practice is widely accepted in Denmark, with many guests and partners appreciating the opportunity to contribute to the zoo’s conservation efforts. The types of livestock typically received as donations include chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and horses. This approach allows the zoo to provide appropriate nutrition for their carnivorous animals while reducing waste and maintaining more natural feeding patterns that would occur in the wild.

The current controversy is not the first time Danish zoos have faced scrutiny over their animal management practices, as zoo ownership and management decisions often attract public attention and debate. In 2014, the Copenhagen Zoo euthanized a healthy young giraffe named Marius to prevent inbreeding, despite public petitions attempting to save the animal. The giraffe’s remains were used for research purposes and to feed carnivores at the facility. Shortly afterward, the same zoo faced additional criticism when it euthanized four lions to make room for a new male lion intended for breeding purposes.