Zoos and Shelters Offer Valentine's Fundraisers to Name Animals After Exes

Creative campaigns let participants name bugs, rats, or other animals after former partners, raising funds for animal care and rehabilitation.

Animal shelters and zoos across the U.S. are hosting unique Valentine's Day fundraisers, allowing donors to name animals after ex-partners or nemeses.
Options include naming a cockroach, rat, or mealworm after an ex, with some facilities feeding the named animals to larger predators like owls or falcons.
The Bird Treatment and Learning Center in Anchorage raised over $18,000 through its 'Love Hurts' campaign, which involved feeding frozen rats named after exes to raptors.
Participants receive videos of the animals being consumed by predators, with cheaper options like naming mealworms also available for social media sharing.
Funds raised support animal care, rehabilitation, and operational costs, with organizers emphasizing the campaigns as lighthearted and cathartic for participants.