A zoo in Denmark requested patrons to donate their pets. Not as points of interest, however for meals : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3376x2376+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F37%2F50%2Fcc75cda442a69425791784bac7c0%2Fgettyimages-79173377.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3376x2376+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F37%2F50%2Fcc75cda442a69425791784bac7c0%2Fgettyimages-79173377.jpg" class="img" alt="Gara, a Siberian tiger, cares for her newborn cubs at the Aalborg Zoo in Denmark in 2008." fetchpriority="high"/> Gara, a Siberian tiger, cares for her new child cubs on the Aalborg Zoo in Denmark in 2008. Henning Bagger/AFP through Getty Pictures cover caption

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Henning Bagger/AFP through Getty Pictures A European zoo stirred up intrigue and controversy after a social media publish asking for surplus pets to be donated to feed captive animals went viral.

In a publish on Fb, the Aalborg Zoo in Denmark requested folks to donate undesirable pets that may be "gently euthanized" and fed to predators in captivity.

"Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs type an necessary a part of the weight loss program of our predators – particularly the European lynx, which wants entire prey that resembles what it might naturally hunt within the wild," the zoo wrote.

"In zoos now we have a accountability to mimic the pure meals chain of the animals - by way of each animal welfare {and professional} integrity," the publish continued. "That means, nothing goes to waste - and we guarantee pure habits, vitamin and well-being of our predators."

The zoo additionally accepts horses as a part of its fodder program.

The Fb publish rapidly grew to become a battleground between commenters who had been appalled on the idea of euthanizing wholesome pets for animal feed, and people who applauded the zoo for its technique of sustaining a sensible meals provide for its animals.

A lot of the umbrage directed towards the zoo appeared to stem from the usage of the phrase "pets" to check with the animals, which referred to as to thoughts the picture of well-loved lapdogs being despatched alive right into a literal lions' den.

"It is a joke proper," one enraged commenter wrote. "Nobody would convey his wholesome pet to a zoo to allow them to kill it and feed it to their animals."

"In Denmark, this apply is widespread" The Aalborg Zoo says canine and cats are excluded from this system. Donatable animals are restricted to chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and horses, it says, including that this can be a apply it has maintained with patrons for years.

"When retaining carnivores, it's vital to supply them with meat, ideally with fur, bones, and so forth., to offer them as pure a weight loss program as attainable," zoo Deputy Director Pia Nielsen mentioned in an announcement to NPR.

"Subsequently, it is smart to permit animals that have to be euthanized for numerous causes to be of use on this means. In Denmark, this apply is widespread, and lots of of our company and companions respect the chance to contribute," Nielsen added.

What consultants say Consultants say that it is vital for captive animals to be fed entire animal elements, together with fur, bones and organs, to take care of the kind of consuming habits they might exhibit within the wild.

Captive carnivores in the USA typically have their diets supplemented with commercially obtainable meat merchandise, like chunk or mincemeat.

"The issue with simply feeding lions meat is that the offal (liver, coronary heart, and so forth.) is way richer in numerous vitamins than muscle meat – wild lions solely begin consuming the muscle tissue after they've completed the offal," Craig Packer, founder and director of the Lion Heart on the College of Minnesota, informed NPR in an electronic mail. "So feeding lions something in addition to horse and cow meat would in all probability be a welcome change."

The Affiliation of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is an accreditation physique for conservation applications in the USA. It mentioned that its member zoos don't make use of or endorse the solicitation of pets for meals.

However the Dietary Advisory Group to the AZA highlights the significance of predatory animals nonetheless getting access to massive and entire animal stays as a part of a balanced weight loss program.

"Feeding vertebrate animal carcasses to captive carnivores has been a administration instrument utilized by zoos in the USA for a few years," the advisory group mentioned in an announcement.

"It encompasses all kinds of prey varieties/type of presentation, from entire physique to portion managed, and has the helpful results of stimulating exercise and bettering regular feeding habits," it mentioned.

The distinction in American and European zoo practices has been highlighted earlier than, significantly within the case of Denmark.

In 2015, the nation's Odense Zoo made worldwide headlines for its determination to kill and publicly dissect a 9-month-old feminine lion in entrance of college kids, as a method to manage the power's lion inhabitants – a apply the zoo had been carrying on for many years.

A 12 months earlier than within the capital metropolis of Copenhagen, animal rights activists had been horrified to study {that a} wholesome two-year-old giraffe generally known as Marius had been euthanized and his stays fed to the zoo's lions. The Copenhagen Zoo mentioned placing Marius down had been essential to keep away from inbreeding amongst its giraffe inhabitants.