A zoo in Denmark is asking for unwanted pets to be donated – not for further care but as food for its predators.

Aalborg zoo in North Jutland published the unusual appeal on Facebook and its website.

The post says they can take smaller live animals such as chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs, which are “an important part of the diet of our predators – especially the European lynx, which needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild.”

It explains that if people have animals that need to be removed “for various reasons”, they can bring a maximum of four small species at once.

The animals are euthanised by trained staff and then used as food.

“In zoos, we have a responsibility to imitate the animals’ natural food chain – for the sake of both animal welfare and professional integrity,” the post continues. “Nothing goes to waste – and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and well-being of our predators.”

The zoo says it will also take horses which are less than 147cm tall and have a pet passport.

In a statement, Aalborg zoo said: “For many years at Aalborg Zoo, we have fed our carnivores with smaller livestock.

“When keeping carnivores, it is necessary to provide them with meat, preferably with fur, bones, etc., to give them as natural a diet as possible.

“Therefore, it makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanised for various reasons to be of use in this way.

“In Denmark, this practice is common, and many of our guests and partners appreciate the opportunity to contribute.”

It is not unheard of for animals which die in a zoo or are culled from local healthy populations to be fed to predators.

In 2014, Copenhagen Zoo caused controversy by euthanising an 18-month-old male giraffe called Marius and feeding his body to the lions.

At the time, the zoo said it was due to a duty to avoid inbreeding. An online petition with thousands of signatures failed to save him.

In 2023, Leipzig Zoo slaughtered a 15-year-old zebra and fed the carcass to their lions.

The director of the site said they had tried to rehome the stallion but hadn’t been successful.