Woman gives daughter’s pony to zoo after people were asked to donate unwanted pets for horrifying reason
A woman has explained why she gave her daughter's pet pony to a zoo, which caused outrage after asking people to donate 'healthy' unwanted pets to be fed to predators.
The Aalborg Zoo in Denmark came under fire from animal lovers around the world for the request, writing in a donation call-out post on social media, which said: "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."
The post explained that the animals are 'gently euthanised' by trained staff before being used as food, concluding: "That way, nothing goes to waste - and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and well-being of our predators."
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While some on social media criticised the process, Pernille Sohl, 44, did just that and donated her teenage daughter Angelina's German riding pony, named Chicago 57, to the zoo.
"It might sound very dramatic and bizarre that you would feed your pet to animals in the zoo," she told The Times. "But they are going to be put down anyway, and it is not like they are alive when they are given to the predators."
Chicago 57 was 22 at the time of his death in 2020 and had unfortunately been suffering from a form of eczema caused by mosquito bites that became extremely irritated in the summer.
His eczema led to painful open wounds that risked infection, and towards the end of his life, he had to wear a jacket and leg protection.
Sohl said that she gave Angelina, who was 13 at the time, the choice to decide whether or not to donate her beloved pony's body, to which she 'chose the one with the zoo, because it made the most sense'.
She went on to say that her daughter had a 'bad experience' watching one of her mother's horses being 'taken away by the vet to be euthanised', adding: "She said that this time she wanted to follow the food chain. She wanted Chicago 57 to benefit other animals."
Sohl, who runs a small farm in Assens, Denmark, that lets children living with mental health issues spend time with horses, assured that the 150-mile drive to the zoo was 'not stressful' for the horse.
"I would never have done it with a horse that wasn’t used to being carried around in a trailer," she insisted. She was also present when Chicago 57 was put down, telling The Times that he was 'humanely killed with a bolt gun'.
"There was a zookeeper standing there cuddling and kissing him — as if it was me standing with him," Sohl recalled. "I got to say a final goodbye."
She was later informed that the horse's carcass had been fed to the zoo’s lions. The Times also says that Sohl did not receive any payment from Aalborg Zoo for the donation of Chicago 57.
In a previous 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 euthanised 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."
Topics: Animals, Pets, Real Life, True Life, World News
Rhiannon Ingle