A European zoo is asking for donations of healthy pets to feed to its predators as part of a controversial policy that has sparked international outrage.
"Did you know that you can donate smaller pets to Aalborg Zoo?" the Denmark zoo posted on social media late last month. "If you have a healthy animal that needs to be removed for various reasons, you are welcome to donate it to us," it continued.
The zoo, located in the northern city of Aalborg, said in Facebook and Instagram posts that chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs are "an important part of the diet" of some predators, especially the European lynx. The wild cat "needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild," according to the zoo.
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On its website, below a picture of a tiger tearing into a furry animal, Aalborg Zoo explains that it accepts animal donations from individuals and businesses for euthanasia and slaughter because its predators need whole animals - including fur, bones and organs - rather than butchered meat.
"In zoos, we have a responsibility to imitate the animals' natural food chain - for the sake of both animal welfare and professional integrity," the zoo, which houses about 1,200 animals and a research and conservation center, said in its posts.
The zoo accepts no more than four small pets at a time, and, under certain conditions, also takes horses, according to its website. It does not accept dogs or cats.
Donors are not paid, though the zoo says the contributions are tax-deductible.
The practice drew swift criticism, and the zoo later disabled the comments on its posts, citing "hateful and malicious rhetoric."
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"How disgusting," one woman commented on Facebook. "Having your healthy pet killed."
"Feeding pets is absolutely unacceptable," wrote someone else.
"How is putting a dead pet on a plate for a caged animal anything close to reenactment of nature," one person asked.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said in a post on its website that there is nothing natural about feeding companion animals to predators.
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"It's not 'natural behavior' for predators from Asia, who roam and hunt for their meals, to be fed companion animals who originated in South America," the anti-zoo animal rights group argued. Guinea pigs, for example, are native to Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and parts of Colombia.
"Companion animals are never needed to 'imitate the natural food chain of the [zoo's] animals,'" PETA added.
Another online critic said the policy spreads a "terrible trend of indifference with animals in Denmark."
The Copenhagen Zoo was the focus of protests in 2014 after it put down a healthy 18-month-old giraffe because its genes were too similar to other breeds at the zoo, raising concerns about inbreeding.
A veterinarian shot the giraffe and performed an autopsy in front of an audience, according to reports at the time.
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European zoos often allow animals to breed freely and then euthanize any surplus, while American zoos more frequently rely on contraception to control populations, The New York Times reported.
Researchers from the University of Zurich argued in a recent report that contraception changes the age profile and welfare of zoo populations, and deprives animals of "one of their most basic evolutionary drives."
Some social media users also agreed with Aalborg Zoo's policy, calling it the "circle of life."
"It's better for the animals to enter the food chain rather than being thrown into the wild," one woman wrote.
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"It is a dignified end for a pet that has had a good life," another Facebook user said.
"Horse owners have known that you can donate to the zoo for many years - and it is often seen as a good solution," said someone else.
One woman said she donated a rabbit to the zoo and described it as a "super nice and professional experience."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Aalborg Zoo for comment.
In statements to other outlets, a spokesperson said the practice has been in place for "many years."
"In Denmark, this practice is common, and many of our guests and partners appreciate the opportunity to contribute," the spokesperson said.
