Denmark zoo asks people to donate pets to feed predators

Aalborg: A zoo in the northern Danish city of Aalborg is accepting donations in the form of pets to feed its predators. 

The zoo issued an online call for people who "have a healthy animal that needs to be given away for various reasons." 

The zoo said it was trying to mimic the natural food chain of animals it housed. 

It listed guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens and horses as possible donations, noting that owners of donated horses can receive a tax deduction. 

In a social media post, the zoo said that with such donations, "nothing goes to waste — and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators."

Donated animals will be "gently euthanised" by trained staff, the zoo added. 

The call for donations attracted international media attention. But Pia Nielsen, deputy director of Aalborg Zoo, said the initiative was common practice in Denmark.

"For many years at Aalborg Zoo, we have fed our carnivores with smaller livestock," she said in a statement quoted by The Guardian.  

"In Denmark, this practice is common, and many of our guests and partners appreciate the opportunity to contribute."

In 2014, Copenhagen Zoo came under international scrutiny for euthanizing a healthy giraffe to avoid inbreeding. 

Aalborg Zoo opened in 1935. It houses predators including the European lynx, Asiatic lion, Sumatran tiger and African wild dog, according to its website.