Aalborg Zoo’s Pet Donation Controversy: Mother Defends Feeding Daughter’s Pony to Lions

The emotional bond between children and their pets makes Aalborg Zoo’s latest request particularly jarring: Donate your deceased companions to feed lions and lynxes. This practice—routine in Denmark for decades—has ignited global outrage after a mother publicly defended donating her daughter’s euthanized pony to the zoo’s predators.

What is Aalborg Zoo’s Pet Donation Program?

In early August 2025, Aalborg Zoo’s Facebook post soliciting deceased pets for carnivore food went viral. The facility explained it “gently euthanizes” donated animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, and horses to maintain “natural behavior and nutrition” for predators. Chief Zoologist Anete Sofie Warncke Nutzhorn stated they’ve operated this program since the zoo’s founding, using it to teach about ecosystems. According to zoo records, they’ve processed:

• 137 rabbits
• 18 guinea pigs
• 53 chickens
• 22 horses

The post drew such vitriol that the zoo disabled comments, citing “hateful rhetoric.” Yet for Danish mother Pernille Sohl, the choice was logical. When her 13-year-old daughter Angelina’s pony, Chicago 57, developed untreatable eczema from mosquito bites in 2020, euthanasia became unavoidable. Sohl presented options: burial, cremation, or zoo donation. “She wanted to follow the food chain,” Sohl told The Times. “It’s not like they’re alive when given to predators.”

Why Do Supporters Call This Ethically Consistent?

Sohl witnessed Chicago 57’s euthanasia, noting a zookeeper “cuddled and kissed him as if it was me.” She argues converting pets into predator food mirrors natural cycles wasted in cremation. “It made the most sense,” she insists. The zoo echoes this, emphasizing their carnivores’ welfare depends on species-appropriate diets. Unlike countries where pet burial/cremation dominates, Denmark’s approach prioritizes ecological pragmatism over sentimentality.

Critics, however, condemn blurring lines between companions and prey. Animal ethicist Dr. Carl Safina (Stony Brook University) notes, “Pets occupy a unique emotional space. Repurposing them as zoo food violates psychological boundaries many cultures observe” (Journal of Animal Ethics, 2024). The controversy highlights stark global divides: While common in Scandinavia, similar programs provoked bans in the UK and US after public backlash.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Zoo Sustainability

Behind the emotional debate lies zoos’ struggle to source ethical meat. Commercial livestock farming contradicts conservation messaging, while donated pets offer local, “low-carbon” alternatives. Aalborg’s program—though shocking—isn’t unique. Copenhagen Zoo faced protests in 2014 for publicly dissecting a giraffe to feed lions, defending it as educational. As zoos balance animal welfare against public sensibilities, such conflicts will persist.

For Pernille Sohl and Aalborg Zoo, this practice remains a rational tribute to nature’s cycles—however unsettling outsiders find it. As global zoos reevaluate sustainability, expect more hard conversations about what “ethical feeding” truly means. Share your perspective using #ZooEthics on social media.

Must Know

Q: What animals does Aalborg Zoo accept for donation?
A: The zoo accepts rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, and horses. All animals are euthanized by zoo staff before being fed to carnivores like lions and lynxes.

Q: Why did the mother donate her daughter’s pony?
A: After euthanizing the pony due to severe eczema, Pernille Sohl’s 13-year-old daughter chose donation to “follow the food chain,” believing the pony could nourish other animals.

Q: Is donating pets to zoos legal?
A: Yes, in Denmark. The practice complies with Danish animal welfare laws and EU zoo regulations requiring species-appropriate nutrition.

Q: How has the public reacted?
A: Global backlash led Aalborg Zoo to disable social media comments due to “hateful rhetoric,” though many Danes support the program as ecologically sound.

Q: Do other zoos use similar programs?
A: Yes, several European zoos accept donated pets under strict protocols. The practice is rare in North America and the UK due to cultural sensitivities.

Sources: The Times (Aug 2025), Journal of Animal Ethics (2024), Aalborg Zoo public records