Donations of Small Animals Used as Predator Feed
"Replicating the Food Chain... Excluding Cats and Dogs"
It was revealed that a Shetland pony used as lion feed at Aalborg Zoo in Denmark had been donated by a woman. The donor explained that the pony was her daughter's companion animal.
Pernille Sohl recently told The Times (UK) in an interview that her daughter's riding pony, "Chicago 57," who had suffered from a chronic skin condition, was euthanized in 2020 and subsequently donated to Aalborg Zoo.
Regarding Aalborg Zoo's recently controversial "unnecessary pet donation policy," Sohl acknowledged, "It may sound extreme and strange to say that a companion animal is given as feed to zoo animals." She clarified, however, that "the donated animals are not handed over to predators while still alive."
At the time, Chicago 57 was 22 years old and had long suffered from eczema caused by mosquito bites. In the summer, the wounds would worsen severely, leading to skin lesions and even the risk of infection. In her later years, she had to wear a protective coat and leg guards for her skin.
When making the decision to euthanize the pony, Sohl gave her 13-year-old daughter Angelina the choice of how the animal would be handled afterward. Sohl explained, "I presented several options, and Angelina wanted to contribute to the cycle of nature." As a result, Chicago 57 was sent to Aalborg Zoo and later provided as feed for the lions. She added, "Angelina wanted to follow the food chain and simply hoped that Chicago 57 could help other animals. The fact that the animal was freed from its suffering and could become part of another life also brought comfort to my daughter."
Last month, Aalborg Zoo once again announced its existing pet donation policy on its official Facebook page. This policy allows for the donation of horses and "small companion animals" to be used as feed for predators such as lions. The zoo emphasized, "We must provide our predators with food similar to what they would hunt in the wild," and stated, "It is our responsibility to mimic the natural food chain as closely as possible for animal welfare and to maintain professional standards." The zoo further explained that "donated animals are always humanely euthanized by trained professionals." However, cats and dogs are excluded from the list of eligible donations.
Founded in 1935, Aalborg Zoo is a leading regional zoo visited by about 500,000 people annually, and has a precedent of accepting pet donations since its early days. Annette Sofie Wernke Nutschon, the zoo’s chief zoologist, told Danish media, "We did not anticipate the controversy, but we are an institution that informs about ecology and the flow of nature," adding that the zoo intends to continue its existing policy.
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