Question of the Week

Lori Sternola

Charlotte, North Carolina

I believe their request went on to specify “healthy animals.” Whether it did or not, I’ve rarely read anything so tasteless. Or pointless. If you’re a lion, dead is dead. You don’t need people’s pets.

Giselle Simonds 

Petaluma, California

As a person who recently had home euthanasia for my 14-year-old Am Staff, it was interesting to read the guidelines for disposal of a pet. Because of the drugs used being harmful to animals that might consume a buried pet, burial on your own property was highly discouraged.
So what humane methods do they utilize? Anyone who saw or read “Water for Elephants” can’t forget the part that dealt with feeding the big cats.
They must be prepared for PETA outrage and picketing.

Mary Dukes (former zookeeper — true story)

Marshville, North Carolina

Well, for starters, no. Although I appreciate that everything has to eat, I would think that if a facility has to resort to requesting household pets, perhaps they are not solvent enough to purchase a carnivore diet from normal sources. This then bears the question of whether or not this entity should be keeping carnivores in captivity at all if they cannot afford to feed them.

The second question is how the animals will be euthanized, as anything that is put down in the way we usually associate with euthanasia (medically induced via drugs) makes the animal unfit for use as food for another animal. So ... bolt gun? Shot in the head? Slit throat? While the bolt-gun option is typically what is used for livestock, I'm pretty sure I'd not want to submit a former pet to that ... (Insert look of horror here.) 

Nick Waters

Sundorne Castle, Near Shrewsbury, United Kingdom

I would not send a live dog: I would want to see it euthanized myself, then I would have no problem with the body going. The sculptor, the late Edna Rose, left in her will a wish that her body should be cut into pieces and fed to the lions in the zoo — a wish that was never fulfilled.  

Lynn Vellios

St. Louis, Missouri

Yes, the zoo has a need to provide quality nutrition. But it is extraordinarily inexplicable for the zoo to encourage euthanizing pets to provide this need for their zoo inhabitants. They need to plan, and if they can’t care for the animals, they should not have them. The same as people are expected do for their animals. 

The concept is just not pleasant nor acceptable! I absolutely would not donate my dogs for this purpose. 

Dr. Sophia Kaluzniacki, DVM

Green Valley, Arizona

First instinct is a NO! But after thinking about this for a while, I would have to deeply consult my brain to weigh pros and cons for myself and my dog, as well as the animals profiting from this. Then I would have to know what they meant by “gently euthanized.” If I agree that the euthanasia is indeed humane, I might say yes, but then only if I could be there with my dog while the procedure was performed.

I doubt that in the end all my concerns would be satisfied, and I would then not agree to donate … My many cats, dogs and horses have always been buried on my property, where they can be returned to enrich the earth from whence they came. A few very special ones have been cremated and will be scattered with my own ashes.

Tom Bradley 

Watertown, New York

Well, obviously the answer is a resounding NO. I would never offer one of my pets. That said, however, I do have a few two-legged “friends” who might qualify.

Ricki Johnson

Schwenksville, Pennsylvania

Glad you asked. I think it's horrifying! 

What do they mean by "gently euthanizing"? Clubbing them over the head? Strangling them? They can't use euthanasia solution on food animals. These are beloved pets — at least one would hope they are. I would never send my animals off to a zoo to be "gently euthanized"! I want to be with them. I understand that wild animals need to be fed, but they do not need to be fed my beloved dogs and cats! Same goes for horses, rabbits, etc.

I know horse people sometimes shoot their horses to be fed to hounds, which is considered dignified and an honor to the horse. Something I would not do, but I can understand it.  

But to kill an animal I have loved and cared for and feed him/her to zoo animals does not work for me! I believe we owe our animal friends a truly peaceful and painless death if it is at all within our power.  

What are they going to do, empty their animal shelters by sending the dogs and cats off to the zoo?

Audrey Schambon

Hallsville, Texas

What a horrible thing to do, feed dogs to zoo animals. Have they no shame? Not no, but hell no.

If such a thought even occurs to sensible dog owners, may they rot in hell.

Julianne McCoy

South Carolina

No! I would never do that to any of my dogs. They deserve better after giving me so much joy. 

Wyoma Clouss

Meridian, Idaho

I can’t imagine the Danish zoo is seriously expecting people to donate their pets! Might instead it be a way of asking for financial help, paving the way for fundraising? 

Though I wonder, if dear old Dobbin collapses out in the pasture, it has to be more complicated than when it’s time for your beloved house pet. Is there a way to accept that they “live on” in Leo the Lion?

Subtle cultural questions. The zoo wouldn’t have asked if they thought the response would be outrage. Interesting to see how that plays out.  

Marit Marino

California

These Danish idiots euthanized a perfectly healthy giraffe and performed a necropsy for the public to watch. Heck, no, I think you know the answer — never would I donate a beloved pooch for lion chow.

Richard L. Reynolds

Tenafly, New Jersey

Oh, heavens no! (But there have been a few in the past where I would have given it serious consideration.)

Vicki Jordan

The Villages, Florida

That question from the zoo is the most disgusting suggestion I have heard. By the way, what does "gently" euthanize mean? I can only imagine. Who would do that to their devoted, loving family friend? I only hope these sick individuals that donate would never, ever again be allowed to own a dog; they don't deserve the dog's love and devotion to have its life ended in this manner. Good grief, what is this world coming to?

Charlene Stoutsenberger

Salt Lake City, Utah

I think it is totally ludicrous for them to even think anyone would agree to such a thing. I would have nightmares for the rest of my life thinking how my beloved pet's body was torn to shreds! I am a firm believer in the afterlife, and I believe their spirits hover around, watching us grieve just like our human family members. They die in my loving arms, whether helped by a veterinarian or by natural occurrences. I shudder to think that they would watch their own body be desecrated like that. I look forward to the time that we will be reunited with our beloved pets in the spirit world, right along with our human family members. I only hope I live a good enough life to end up where they are.

Linda Tilka

Madeira Beach, Florida

Of course, I would not donate my dogs to be fed to zoo animals. I feel that PETS are not being asked for. My feelings about dogs being used for food are that in this world, dogs are eaten by humans, we know that, so why not have unwanted, nasty dogs be used as food instead of being euthanized and cremated? Horses are used as food. It's the way of the world, whether you think it is cruel or not.

Felice Lang

Stamford, Connecticut

I absolutely would not ever consider donating any one of my dogs for zoo food. I read the question more than once and thought it may be a joke. What an awful idea. The thought of one of my very much loved dogs becoming zoo food that may be tossed carelessly into a zoo-animal environment makes me sad.

Sheila Allen

Forest City, North Carolina

My answer is HELL NO! And my big question is, how does one "gently" euthanize an animal without drugs, knowing that if drugs were used they would then be poisoning those zoo animals?

Animal rightists should be all over this!

Mike Macbeth 

Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada

Unless this question is meant as an inappropriate and, frankly, sick idea of humor, anyone who reads Dog News who would donate their dog to the zoo should be reported to the authorities. We are all dog lovers.

Bobbie Wood

Cranford, New Jersey

OMG! Never, ever! There’s nothing in this world worth more than my pups. Don’t think they would like them anyway — too much hair!

Lynda Lamensdorf

Memphis, Tennessee

Ex-husbands, YES! Pets, NEVER!