A zoo in Denmark has sparked international backlash after asking people to donate their unwanted pets to be fed to predators.
Yep, you read that right - they want pet owners to hand over their poor little guinea pigs and rabbits to 'imitate the natural food chain of the animals' - and understandably, people are not impressed.
The Aalborg Zoo has come under fire from animal lovers around the world for its very unusual request, asking people to give up 'healthy' small animals to feed predators like the European lynx,
The controversial post, which was shared to the zoo's social media accounts and uploaded to their website, reads: "Did you know that you can donate smaller pets to Aalborg Zoo?
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"Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs make up an important part of the diet of our predators - especially in the European lynx, which needs whole prey, which is reminiscent of what it would naturally hunt in the wild."
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It continued: "In zoos we have a responsibility to imitate the natural food chain of the animals - in terms of both animal welfare and professional integrity.
"If you have a healthy animal that has to leave for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us."
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The post explained that the animals are gently euthanised by trained staff before being used as food.
It signed off with: "That way, nothing goes to waste - and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and well-being of our predators."
According to its website, the zoo says it will also take horses that are less than 147cm tall at the withers and have a pet passport.
As the call-out has gone viral online for all of the wrong reasons, people have expressed their outrage at the policy.
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One Instagram user wrote: "Wow. Are we stepping back in time? It feels like we’re going backwards," while a second questioned: "Is this for real seriously?"
Meanwhile, a third raged: "Absolutely disgusting! Those poor unwanted pets deserve better. I'd be checking the person who has sanctioned that search history."
Other furious animal advocates penned: "Give the zoo owners as food for the animals" and "Donate the zoo owners".
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"I don’t know what’s worse!!! The zoo asking or the people donating! How awful!!!" wrote someone else.
Another quipped: "This is horrible and shocking" while someone else agreed: "Is this a bloody joke?"
Outraged, another Instagram user commented: "OMFGG WTF this is utterly barbaric the zoo should be closed and the animals should be in the wild."
"This is vile. Unwanted animals should still be cared for. Animals used for food should still be cared for first. It’s sickening," added another.
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Elsewhere, another social media user wrote: "This is barbaric. Instead of finding a natural solution, they're just asking for people's unwanted pets. Zoos are an outdated concept that needs to be abolished."
In a statement to Tyla, Aalborg Zoo said: "At Aalborg Zoo, we have always had various carnivores. Carnivores represent an important and diverse group of animals in nature. They fill a central niche in ecosystems and play a crucial role in the balance of nature. At the same time, predators evoke both fascination and curiosity – and help communicate important messages about the connections in nature and biodiversity.
"We have both large and small carnivores in Aalborg. We place great emphasis on the animals' health. We monitor them daily, have daily veterinary checks, and assess their welfare based on these daily observations.
"For many years at Aalborg Zoo, 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."
They added: "Therefore, it makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanized for various reasons to be of use in this way. In Denmark, this practice is common, and many of our guests and partners appreciate the opportunity to contribute. The livestock we receive as donations are chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and horses."
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Madison Burgess