Zoological Park in Denmark Seeks Financial Aid for Animal Feeding - Zoo in Denmark seeks animals as food sources
In the heart of Denmark, the Aalborg Zoo has taken an unconventional yet intriguing approach to feeding its predators. The zoo has started accepting donations of unwanted small pets, such as chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and even horses, to provide a more natural diet for its captive predators. This practice aims to mimic the natural food chain and ensure the predators' natural behaviour, nutrition, and well-being.
The donated animals, which must be healthy but no longer wanted, are humanely euthanized by trained staff before being used as food. This approach ensures that nothing goes to waste, a practice that is gaining attention and sparking public controversy.
The zoo's Facebook post explains that donating pets helps mimic the natural food chain of the animals for animal welfare and professional integrity. However, reactions to the zoo's practice on social media are mixed. Some praise it as a better alternative to abandoning animals, while others criticize it as macabre.
In 2025, the zoo received 137 rabbits as donations, a testament to the community's support for this unique initiative. The zoo's website requests donations of horses, rabbits, chickens, and guinea pigs.
It's important to note that this practice of using pet donations for feeding predators is relatively uncommon worldwide. While it is not entirely unheard-of for zoos to source whole prey feeding animals through various channels, soliciting from the public to donate personal pets is a rare and controversial approach.
In Denmark, the Aalborg Zoo is one of the few examples of a zoo that has adopted this practice. The vet euthanizes the donated animals and examines them thoroughly to ensure they pose no risk to the zoo animals. Many of the donated horses are old or injured.
The zoo spends several million Danish kroner on feed annually, despite the donations. This practice, while controversial, helps reduce the zoo's feed costs and contributes to a more natural and sustainable environment for its predators.
Elsewhere in Europe, zoos such as the Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany have been criticized for their handling of animal populations. The Karlsruhe Zoo has faced criticism for killing several baboons due to space constraints and using their bodies for research and feeding to predators. The practice of zoos not openly communicating this is also criticized by the German Animal Welfare Federation.
As the debate continues, it is essential to consider the ethical implications of such practices and strive for a balance that prioritizes animal welfare and conservation while providing educational and enjoyable experiences for visitors.
[1] Aalborg Zoo's official website [2] Various social media platforms, including Facebook
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