Target: Copenhagen Zoo officials
Goal: Use contraception to prevent unwanted animal births, rather than euthanizing young animals
Most zoos in the United States faced with limited resources for caring for baby animals choose to use various methods of contraception in order to prevent their animals from giving birth. The Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark, however, allows its animals to have babies even when zoo officials are unwilling or unable to care for the young animals. The zoo allows parent animals to raise their young until the babies reach the age that they would naturally separate from their parents, then the young are euthanized.
Copenhagen Zoo officials feel that it’s healthier for adult animals to give birth and raise young, even if the young are eventually euthanized, than it is to prevent the animals from giving birth. Zoo workers put down an average of between 20 and 30 healthy baby animals a year. This includes animals such as gazelles, chimps, and hippopotamuses. The zoo recently euthanized two healthy leopard cubs, despite the fact that leopards are a threatened species. Zoo director Bengt Holst has been quoted stating that since zoos limit animals’ natural abilities, they should at least be allowed to experience being parents. This is the same type of argument that backyard dog breeders often use. The fact of the matter is that animals in captivity should be able to live out happy lives without producing offspring. If Copenhagen Zoo officials feel that their animals are lacking stimulation, the ideal solution would be for them to provide the animals with more to do rather than allowing the animals to reproduce and then killing the healthy young.
Is it more than a coincidence that babies, the biggest crowd pleasers, are allowed to live only until they outgrow their cute baby stage? If zoos cannot provide for baby animals born in their facilities, than they should not be allowing their animals to breed. It’s inhumane to allow adult animals to produce offspring when zoo officials know they are unable to care for the young. There are other, much more humane, ways of providing stimulation for zoo animals besides allowing them to raise young. By signing this petition you are asking the Copenhagen Zoo officials to stop breeding animals when they know they cannot care for the young, and to stop euthanizing healthy young animals.
Dear Copenhagen Zoo officials,
Your practice of euthanizing young animals rather than preventing their births in the first place is unacceptable. There are many ways to provide animals with mental and physical stimulation other than allowing them to raise young. It seems like more than a coincidence that babies are allowed to live only until they outgrow their cute baby stage. Why would you purposely allow animals to have babies when you are fully aware that you are unable or unwilling to provide for the young animals continued care?
How do you think zoo patrons would feel if they knew that the cute baby animals they enjoy watching are destined to be killed? It’s inhumane to allow adult animals to produce offspring and then euthanize them when they are no longer tiny and cute. Please find another, more humane way to provide stimulation to your animals and only allow them to breed when you are able to ensure their continued care.
[Your Name Here]