This Zoo's Controversial Request For Unwanted Pets Has The Internet Fiercely Divided

Zoos have been offering people rare opportunities to see and learn about animals up close for centuries, but to continue doing so, they often rely on community support. When making requests of the public, they usually ask for financial donations, volunteers, and similar forms of support, but a zoo in Denmark is asking for a much more unorthodox donation: unwanted pets to feed their predator animals. The request has been ruffling feathers online since it was first announced on Facebook on July 31, with many calling it "sick" and "crazy." Still, others support the idea.

Aalborg Zoo started its post with a question: "Did you know that you can donate smaller pets to Aalborg Zoo?" It later clarified that it's specifically seeking chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs since these animals comprise a large portion of their captive predators' diets. The goal is to mimic big cats' prey in their natural habitat, minus the hunting. Owning a big cat as a pet or as a zoo animal still requires dietary upkeep, after all. The zoo promises to "gently euthanize" each animal that's donated before feeding it to the predators. "That way, nothing goes to waste – and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators," the post reads.

Although not mentioned in the Facebook post, the zoo's website states that it also accepts live horse donations. Horses aren't the only large animals that Danish zoos have killed to feed other animals, either. The Copenhagen Zoo shot a young, healthy giraffe named Marius to feed its big cats in 2014 even though protests had pushed back against it.

Social-media readers were quick to express their outrage when the Aalborg Zoo's news dropped. One X user suggested releasing the predators into the wild as a better alternative — this way, they wouldn't need to be fed by the zoo workers. Other comments on Facebook are flooded with condemning words like "disgusting" and "unbelievable." One even called it "a cheap publicity stunt." However, the responses imply that some critics might have based their comments solely on headlines and assumed "pets" referred to dogs and cats, not rabbits and chickens.

Of the readers who seemed to have read the full articles about the situation, a small percentage supported the Aalborg Zoo's request. One commenter called it a "win win solution for pets that already have to be put down." Another praised the idea of donating an old riding horse to lions to help save a healthy animal. They called it "common sense," with the claim that it would save the donor money if they don't have to pay to put the horse down.

Another comment read that this feeding practice is "nothing new," and the Aalborg Zoo's deputy director, Pia Nielsen, confirmed this in an emailed statement. "For many years ... we have fed our carnivores with smaller livestock. When keeping carnivores, it is necessary to provide them with meat, preferably with fur, bones, etc. to give them as natural a diet as possible," she said (via CNN World). As the controversy continues, the zoo's request forces a wider conversation about ethics, public perception, and the unseen realities of animals in captivity. Interested in other unique zoo stories? Find out why cheetahs at zoos sometimes have support dogs. Or, if you need something uplifting, check out these bunnies that will hop right into your heart because they're so precious.