Cat food, for big cats in zoos (you could call it pet food)

 Zoos are complicated.

Here's the story from NPR:

A zoo in Denmark asked patrons to donate their pets. Not as attractions, but for food  By Alana Wise
 

"In a post on Facebook, the Aalborg Zoo in Denmark asked people to donate unwanted pets that would be "gently euthanized" and fed to predators in captivity.

...

"The zoo also accepts horses as part of its fodder program.

"The Facebook post quickly became a battleground between commenters who were appalled at the concept of euthanizing healthy pets for animal feed, and those who applauded the zoo for its method of maintaining a practical food supply for its animals.

...

"The Aalborg Zoo says dogs and cats are excluded from the program. Donatable animals are limited to chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and horses, it says, adding that this is a practice it has maintained with patrons for years.

"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," zoo Deputy Director Pia Nielsen said in a statement to NPR.

"Therefore, it makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanized 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," Nielsen added."