After being euthanised, the pets will be used as fodder to be eaten whole by the predators, the zoo said.

The zoo said its Eurasian lynx “needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild”. Source: Getty / Arterra/Universal Images Group

“That way, nothing goes to waste — and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and well-being of our predators,” the zoo said. In particular, it cited the Eurasian lynx, “which needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild”.

The zoo, which could not immediately be reached for additional details, does not list other pets or animals as possible donations.

Zoo official says request ‘makes sense’

The zoo’s Instagram page has received a flood of comments criticising its callout, and it has since removed the ability to comment on the original post.