Key Facts
• Aalborg Zoo in northern Denmark requests unwanted pets for predator feeding.
• Animals include guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, and small horses.
• Purpose: Mimic natural food chain and reduce waste.
• Donated animals are euthanized humanely by trained staff.
• Predators include Asian lions, European lynxes, and Sumatran tigers.
• Practice is common in Denmark and supported by visitors and stakeholders.
• Online debate: Critics oppose using pets as prey; supporters value natural feeding.
• Zoo’s deputy director states this practice has been ongoing for years.
• 2014: Copenhagen Zoo euthanized a giraffe and four lions for similar reasons.
• Zoo emphasizes the importance of providing predators with natural diets.
Summary
Aalborg Zoo in Denmark has called for donations of unwanted pets, such as guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, and small horses, to feed its carnivorous animals. The initiative aims to mimic natural food chains, reduce waste, and maintain predator health. Donated animals are humanely euthanized by trained staff before being used as food for predators like lions, lynxes, and tigers. While the practice is common in Denmark and supported by many, it has sparked online debate, with critics opposing the use of pets as prey. The zoo defends the approach as a long-standing and logical method to provide natural diets for its animals. Similar controversies arose in 2014 when Copenhagen Zoo euthanized a giraffe and four lions for population management and feeding purposes.
