A mom is opening up about why she donated her daughter's pet pony to become lion food at a zoo in Demark. Aalborg Zoo has been asking for people to donate pets to become food for its predators.
The mom decided to donate the pony after it became ill and was recommended for euthanasia. Pernille Sohl, of Denmark, says donating the horse to be eaten by lions makes sense. She said the pony was going to be put down anyway. So she figured it might as well do some good in the process.
"It might sound very dramatic and bizarre that you would feed your pet to animals in the zoo," she told The Sunday Times. "But they are going to be put down anyway. And it is not like they are alive when they are given to the predators."
So far, people have donated 22 horses, 53 chickens, 137 rabbits, and 18 guinea pigs. The zoo is encouraging people to donate their pets.
Donating A Pony
"Chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs make up an important part of the diet of our predators. Especially in the European locust, which needs whole prey, which is reminiscent of what it would naturally hunt in the wild," it read.
They continued, "In zoos we have a responsibility to imitate the natural food chain of the animals. In terms of both animal welfare and professional integrity. If you have a healthy animal that has to leave here for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us. The animals are gently euthanized by trained staff. And are afterwards used as fodder. That way, nothing goes to waste - and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators."
Meanwhile, Helen Hjortholm Andersen also said that she donated her Shetland pony to be eaten by lions at the Jyllands Park Zoo. She said it just makes sense to help out the zoo.
"The idea that she could be of benefit made sense. We would do it again. We like the idea of the cycle of life, and that a pony can help to create life for other animals," she said.
