A zoo in Denmark is asking the general public for donations of undesirable small pets or horses to feed its captive predators.
“In zoos, now we have a accountability to mimic the pure meals chain of the animals โ by way of each animal welfare {and professional} integrity,” Aalborg Zoo stated in a submit on social media.
The zoo in northern Denmark stated that chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs had been an vital a part of the food regimen of its predators, which want “complete prey,” harking back to what they’d hunt within the wild.
“When you have a wholesome animal that has to depart right here for numerous causes, be happy to donate it to us. The animals are gently euthanized by skilled workers and are afterwards used as fodder. That manner, nothing goes to waste โ and we guarantee pure conduct, diet and well-being for our predators,” Aalborg Zoo stated.
The zoo stated it accepts donated rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., however not more than 4 at a time.
It additionally accepts horses for feeding its animals, which it says on its web site are euthanized by a zookeeper and a veterinarian.
Horses to be donated for animal meals should not have been handled for sickness for a minimum of a month, and are topic to measurement restrictions, the zoo stated on its web site. They have to even be in a situation the place it’s protected for them to be transported.
Provided that the horse is a donation, the donor can obtain a tax deduction for its worth.
“Our wants fluctuate all year long, and there could also be a ready record,” Aalborg Zoo stated.
The zoo restricted feedback on the submit after it generated some responses it known as “hateful.”
This is not the primary Danish zoo to set off worldwide criticism. In 2014, the Copenhagen Zoo killed a 2-year-old giraffe to stop inbreeding regardless of a web-based petition to save lots of the animal. Workers then carried out an post-mortem on the carcass and fed the stays to lions as guests watched.
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