From the sofa to the predator enclosure - when pets save zoo animals

Would you donate your rabbit to a zoo for food? It's not a pleasant thought to see your beloved furry friend in the clutches of a lion or polar bear . But a zoo in Aalborg, Denmark, is now aggressively targeting pet and farm animal owners: Give us your animals, and we'll feed them to them in our zoo. Small animals like guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, and even horses are welcome.

The reasoning: Many zoo animals need fresh, natural food that's as species-appropriate as possible. Privately owned small animals are ideal for this. This is difficult for many animal lovers, as it clearly demonstrates the gap between the romantic notion of pet ownership and the reality of nature.

What is a pet and a farm animal?

We give pets names—and we keep them out of affection and love for animals. They are meant to provide companionship, bring joy, cuddle, or simply be playmates: cats , dogs , rabbits, guinea pigs, and budgies. Some people also keep a pet pig or surround themselves with lizards or exotic spiders. Keeping pets is emotional, but also a lifestyle and status symbol.

Farm animals, on the other hand, often fulfill very practical functions—they provide milk, eggs, meat, wool, or are purely working animals: They guard the farm and protect the herds. They often have no names—the bond between humans and animals is purely functional.

Europe: The dog on the sofa

Cultural background often determines which animals have which status. In Europe, pets are considered full members of the family. Dogs sleep on sofas and in beds, cats take over every corner of the house, and budgies chirp from their cages. Pet supply stores have become major shopping centers. There are food subscriptions, dog grooming centers, boarding facilities, and daycare centers for dogs and cats.

People often spend a lot of money on their four-legged friends, including insurance, top-quality food, and medical care. According to the German Veterinary Journal, there are over 10,000 veterinary practices and approximately 180 veterinary clinics in Germany alone.

USA: Pets as lifestyle icons

In the US, the love for pets is even more extreme. Here, too, they are part of the family, but they are humanized even more—they become little stars of everyday life. According to Forbes magazine, around 66% of households own at least one pet, and spending on food, accessories, insurance, and medical care now exceeds $130 billion annually.

Trends are emerging that are (still) ridiculed as exaggerated in Europe: There's "Doga" (yoga for humans and animals) for dogs, birthday parties with dog cakes, and luxurious wellness hotels for cats. So-called "petfluencers" have millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok – they showcase fur fashion, advertise pet toys, or vacations at pet resorts, among other things. Famous examples of pets with advertising contracts include Grumpy Cat , who died in 2019 and had a grumpy face due to a genetic defect; Karl Lagerfeld's cat Choupette ; the Tennessee pug Doug the Pug; and TikTok star Bagel the Sunglass Cat.

This cult also has a social function: In an increasingly mobile, urban society, pets serve as emotional anchors. For many Americans, the animal is not just a companion, but a statement.

India: From the farm to the home

A look at another part of the world: In the past, animals in India primarily served practical purposes—dogs acted as house guards, while goats and chickens provided food. But in recent years, the situation has changed dramatically: By 2023, almost 24 million households in India had dogs or cats. Industry experts estimated at the time that the numbers would continue to rise.

Pets are often a status symbol on the subcontinent. This is especially true for the country's affluent middle and upper classes. According to the economic development agency Germany Trade & Invest , more and more Indians are spending exorbitant amounts on their beloved pets: from the right food and accessories like leashes, harnesses, and toys to care and treatment in the event of illness.

People seem to benefit from their animals: Around 92% of Indian pet owners report less screen time, better sleep, and more mindfulness thanks to their animals, writes the Times of India.

There is no cuddling in nature

Pets have long since become family members, lifestyle objects, and status symbols. This makes the call from Denmark to offer one's rabbits, chickens, or ponies as food donations for big cats, snakes, and birds of prey all the more bizarre. But it reminds us of an often repressed truth: There are no cuddly toys in nature. For a lion, a rabbit is not a beloved furry friend, but simply prey. There's a deep divide between emotional pet ownership and the harsh logic of the animal kingdom – one that the Danish Zoo in Aalborg is now making very clear.