Overview

• On July 31, the zoo invited citizens to donate healthy guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens and horses to feed its carnivores after trained staff perform gentle euthanasia.
• Equine donations must meet requirements including a valid passport, no treatments in the past 30 days and a height limit, with donors eligible for tax deductions based on animal weight.
• Public reaction ranged from concerns over animal welfare to praise for reducing waste, prompting the zoo to disable comments on the original post on August 5.
• Subdirector Pia Nielsen said the use of whole donated animals to simulate natural diets has been a regulated, common practice in Danish zoos for many years.
• Aalborg Zoo says the program remains active under strict guidelines as it balances natural feeding behaviors with professional animal welfare standards.