Danish zoo wants to feed unwanted pets to predators

The Aalborg Zoo has sparked backlash after inviting owners to donate their healthy animals for feed

A zoo in northern Denmark has sparked public outrage by encouraging people to donate their unwanted pets, including guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, and even small horses, to be fed to its carnivorous animals.

Aalborg Zoo made the appeal in a Facebook post last week, claiming it aimed to “imitate the natural food chain” and provide proper nutrition for its predators. 

“Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs form an important part of the diet of our predators,” the post read. “That way, nothing goes to waste — and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators.”

The zoo’s website also provides detailed guidelines for horse donations, requiring animals to be under 147 cm tall, in good health, and accompanied by proper documentation. Donated horses are euthanized and slaughtered by zoo staff, with owners eligible for a small tax deduction based on the animal’s weight.

The announcement has ignited fierce debate online. While some commenters supported the idea as practical and humane, others condemned the zoo for promoting a “terrible trend of indifference” toward animals. One user called the initiative “a deeply perverse and degrading mindset.” Another sarcastically asked if they could donate “healthy but annoying neighbourhood children.”

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This is not the first time Aalborg Zoo has faced backlash. In 2024, the zoo euthanized its last two African elephants, one due to age and the other due to the lack of suitable companions. This brought an end to elephant keeping at the facility. A year earlier, another elephant was also put down under similar circumstances.

Denmark’s zoos have drawn international criticism in the past for controversial culling practices. In 2014, Copenhagen Zoo killed a healthy giraffe named Marius because his genes were deemed too common for breeding purposes. The zoo publicly dissected the carcass and fed it to lions, triggering global condemnation.

In neighboring Sweden, Furuvik Zoo faced scrutiny in December 2022 after staff shot and killed three chimpanzees that had escaped their enclosure. The zoo claimed the decision was necessary due to the risk posed by the animals, despite the park being closed to visitors at the time.