“Would you like to donate your words to feed?”
A zoo in Denmark has sparked controversy over its plan to receive donations of pets as food for predators. The zoo says it will euthanize animals that are registered alive and provide them as feed. On March 31, a zoo in Olborg, Denmark posted a message asking people to donate their pets as feed. Donation targets include small animals such as chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs as well as horses.
The zoo explained the terms of donation on its website with the phrase, “Would you like to donate your horse as feed?” The donation target is a horse that is 1.48 meters tall and shorter, and it must have no history of treatment for diseases within the last 30 days and requires documents such as a registration card. It also says that tax deductions are possible for horses as much as the price.
“The donated animals are humanely euthanized and used to feed predators such as lynx, lions and tigers,” the zoo said. “This reproduces the food chain of nature and contributes to maintaining instinctive behavior and improving welfare of predators.” It also stressed that it is a way to waste nothing.
The zoo said in an interview with Popular Science, a science magazine, that it has used small livestock as food for predators for many years. When the policy became public, controversy erupted over the issue. Some netizens criticized that the animal protection agency is rather infringing on animal rights. One netizen said, “It is a morbid idea. The insensitive treatment of animals in Denmark is appalling.”
On the contrary, there are pros and cons. “The zoo was very friendly and professional. It was the best experience for both the horse and me,” said a citizen who actually donated the horse. Danish zoos have been embroiled in controversies over animal cruelty in the past. In 2014, a zoo in Copenhagen killed a healthy giraffe, Marius, for reasons of limited population and possible inbreeding, causing uproar worldwide. In March the same year, four existing lions were euthanized to let in male lions.
JULIE KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
