A ZOO has ruffled more than a few feathers after asking the public to hand over their unwanted pets to feed its captive predators.
Aalborg Zoo, in Denmark, asked for healthy small animals such as rabbits, chickens and guinea pigs to be used as meat for feeding time.
Keepers said each donor could donate up to four animals which could then be euthanised before being fed to the carnivore creatures.
In a social media appeal, the northern Jutland zoo said: “Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs form an important part of the diet of our predators.
“Especially the European lynx, which needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild.”
The zoo has also stated its willingness to accept horses, as long as the necessary documentation is complete. Interestingly, Danish legislation even permits tax deductions in specific cases for those who donate horses.
The move was defended by the zoo as a way to ensure “nothing goes to waste”. But the internet wasn’t having it.
One user fumed on Instagram: “Shame on you.”
Another person commented: “Requesting that people send healthy animals they no longer want so they can be slaughtered and used as feed for the zoo animals is one of the strangest requests I’ve ever come across.”
Punctuating their comment with a green vomit emoji, a third wrote: “Go vegan and stop supporting zoos.”
The controversy comes hot on the heels of a gruesome incident in Germany, where Nuremberg Zoo killed 12 healthy baboons due to overcrowding.
Keepers then fed their carcasses to lions, tigers, and wolves.
The baboons reportedly had their hands and feet removed before being served up in front of horrified visitors.
German zoo officials defended the culling as a last resort, but the backlash was swift.
This isn’t Denmark’s first incident with zoo-related fury.
In 2014, Copenhagen Zoo sparked massive outrage after it killed a healthy young giraffe named Marius over genetic concerns.
His body was publicly dissected as part of an “educational demonstration”.
Meanwhile, in China, distressing footage of a shockingly obese panther sparked fury among animal lovers.
The video captured the moment a large black panther waddled around its enclosure, struggling to walk as its huge belly visibly hung out.
The big cat seemingly tried to hide behind a tree, but its bloated stomach made the usually svelte and streamlined animal easy to spot.Â
The shocking footage was filmed at the Chengdu Zoo in Chengdu, Sichuan Province in China and images were shared online on March 9.
The next day, the zoo told local media that the black panther was very old and a female aged 16-years-old.Â
The zoo also said the panther’s body functions and metabolism were not in a good condition.Â
However, the panther’s condition sparked backlash with comments saying many of the zoo’s animals are too fat due to being overfed.
