A zoo in Denmark has asked the public to donate healthy pets they no longer want in an effort to provide food for predators.
Aalborg Zoo is asking for donations of live chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs, which it says are "gently euthanized" by trained staff. The zoo also accepts horses, and their owners can benefit from tax breaks, the BBC reports.
In an Instagram post, the zoo says it has a "responsibility to mimic the natural animal food chain" and small creatures "make up an important part of our predators' diet."
It is further stated that the food obtained in this way "resembles what it would hunt in the wild," and this is true for the Eurasian lynx.
Other predators found in the garden are lions and tigers.
Small animals can be donated during weekdays, no more than four of them, unless an appointment has been scheduled.
On the website, below a photo of a tiger eating a piece of meat, the conditions for donating horses are listed.
They must have a passport and not have received any medical treatment for any illness in the previous 30 days. If the delivery is successful, the horse owners receive a tax reduction.
In a statement, the zoo's director explained that carnivorous animals have been given smaller animals "for many years."
"When caring for carnivores, it is necessary to give them food, preferably with fur, bones, etc. so that their diet is as natural as possible," she explained, adding that "in Denmark, this practice is common."
