Aalborg Zoo in northern Denmark is urging the public to donate small, unwanted pets — including rabbits, guinea pigs, and even horses — to be euthanized and used as food for its captive predators. The zoo says the effort is part of a broader strategy to replicate natural food chain behavior and maintain what it calls “animal welfare and professional integrity.”
In an online post accompanied by an image of a wildcat baring its teeth, the zoo invited pet owners to donate healthy animals they can no longer care for. The post clarified that donated animals would be “gently euthanized” by trained professionals before being served as food to carnivorous species.
“If you have a healthy animal that needs to be given away for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us,” the zoo stated, listing rabbits, guinea pigs, and chickens as examples. The facility also expressed openness to receiving horses.
Zoo officials argue that this method reduces waste and supports natural feeding behaviors among their predators. By providing whole animals as food, they claim to promote both physical health and mental stimulation for species that would naturally hunt or scavenge in the wild.
The zoo accepts donations of small animals on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., with a limit of four animals per visit. Aalborg Zoo emphasized that this practice aligns with European zoo standards and is guided by a commitment to ethical animal care.
Animal welfare groups across Europe have expressed alarm over the zoo’s request, warning it could normalize the idea of pets as disposable commodities. Critics argue that while feeding predators natural prey is standard in wildlife management, soliciting household pets—many of which may be former companions—crosses a moral line.
Despite the backlash, Aalborg Zoo insists the policy is ethical and rooted in ecological principles. Officials emphasized that all euthanasia is performed humanely by licensed professionals, and the initiative is aimed at preventing pet abandonment or improper release into the wild.
