My dog Minnie gets on my nerves at times, but I would never donate her to a zoo to be eaten by lions. However, a Danish zoo is asking for people to donate unwanted pets to be devoured by its predators.
I'm not sure what they're thinking here. While dogs and cats don't make the donation cuts, they are asking for unwanted small pets. These include hens, rabbits, and guinea pigs. All three play an "important part" of the diet of the zoo's predators. Specifically, you can donate your pets to be eaten by big cats, such as lynx or other species.
"In zoos, we have a responsibility to imitate the animals' natural food chain — for reasons of both animal welfare and professional integrity," according to the Facebook post. "If you have an animal that needs to leave here for various reasons, you are welcome to donate it to us."
Pets Become Food
If interested, you can donate on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. But you can only donate four at a time. In response, several people made fun of the donations. One woman asked if she could donate her children when she grew tired of them.
"Your children are very welcome at the zoo. But not as food... here we only accept animals with feathers or fur," the zoo responded.
On a more serious note, Pia Nielsen, deputy director of the Aalborg Zoo, explained that they're trying to give their predators a natural diet as possible. So pets fit the criteria.
"Therefore, it makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanized for various reasons to be of use in this way. In Denmark, this practice is common, and many of our guests and partners appreciate the opportunity to contribute," Nielsen said.
