Zoos are incredibly important establishments in our society. They serve as educational centers to hopefully turn kids into future conservationists, and they also act as a safe haven for endangered or threatened animals. However, a zoo in Denmark is currently under fire after asking families to donate their “unwanted pets.” It plans to use those pets as food for its captive predators.
In a recent social media post, Denmark’s Aalborg Zoo stated it has a responsibility to “imitate the natural food chain of the animals,” adding that chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs are exactly what some of these creatures would typically hunt to eat.
“If you have an animal that has to leave here for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us. The animals are gently euthanized by trained staff and are afterwards used as fodder. That way, nothing goes to waste — and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators,” the zoo wrote in an official statement via Facebook.
The post sparked both local and international outrage, with dozens of commenters calling the zoo out for its “heartless” request.
“A deeply perverse and degrading mindset that is behind this sick invention, which has spread a terrible trend of indifference with animals in Denmark and this only supports this sad underdevelopment,” wrote one angry commenter, as translated by Facebook. “Imagine giving away your pet/animal as fodder, it hardly gets more disrespectful and unworthy than that…”
However, not everyone thought it was an outrageous request.
Another translated comment stated: “Took a horse to the zoo, a few years ago. It was the quietest and most serene way it went down. It was the best experience for both horse and I 
Sweet staff who took care of it in the finest way, and grateful for the donation. It could definitely be recommended.”
The zoo turned comments on the post off as it deemed some of the commentary “hateful.”
According to CBS News, this is not the first Danish zoo to cause a controversy. The Copenhagen Zoo received international criticism after it decided to kill a 2-year-old giraffe to prevent inbreeding. Staff reportedly then performed an autopsy on the animal and fed its remains to a lion while patrons watched.
