A mother has faced backlash for her choice to feed her daughter’s pony to lions at a nearby zoo. Pernille Sohl, hailing from Denmark, has been criticized after she disclosed that she donated her child’s pony to Aalborg Zoo, located in the northern part of the country.
The 44-year-old decided to bring their pet to the zoo following a ‘food drive’ organized by the zoo. This facility, which houses more than 1,500 animals, including 126 different species, requested donations after their horse became ill and euthanasia was suggested.
Sohl ultimately opted to donate the horse as ‘whole prey’ for the lions, reasoning that since the horse was destined to be put down, it was a practical choice.
“It might sound very dramatic and bizarre that you would feed your pet to animals in the zoo,” she explained to 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.”
Sohl is not alone in her decision, as the zoo reports that they have received donations of 22 horses, 53 chickens, 137 rabbits, and 18 guinea pigs.
Aalborg Zoo used Instagram to urge residents of Denmark to consider donating their pets.
“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,” the post stated.
“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 afterward used as fodder. That way, nothing goes to waste – and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators.”
In exchange, donors receive $15.60 for each small pet, while larger animals are compensated based on weight—78 cents per kilogram. With an adult horse weighing between 380 to 1000 kg, this could amount to a sizeable $780.
Perhaps “nice” is not the appropriate term given the situation.
Similarly, Helen Hjortholm Andersen chose to donate her horse to be fed to the lions, this time to Jyllands Park Zoo. Her Shetland pony, named ‘Paprika,’ was given to the zoo due to the exorbitant costs associated with removing a deceased animal.
“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 told The Mirror.