Note from the zoo: Well-intentioned, but not species-appropriate - feeding by visitors can make animals ill
Urgent request from the zoo team - domestic donkeys are under veterinary observation
The team at Chemnitz Zoo urgently requests that you do not feed the domestic donkeys. Well-intentioned but inappropriate feeding by visitors can lead to serious health problems for the animals.
Because their enclosure is located outside the zoo grounds, they are still accessible despite the closure of the facility due to the pandemic. As the donkeys have noticeable fat deposits on their bodies, they are currently under increased veterinary observation.
Such fat deposits are symptoms of a metabolic disorder known as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). This is caused when too much and/or the wrong food is fed over a long period of time. EMS can lead to tissue damage, which particularly affects the hooves of equines. This results in circulatory disorders and inflammation, which are extremely painful for the animals. In the worst cases, the animals can hardly stand on their feet and may even lose their hooves.
The only treatment option is a diet; the animals cannot be helped with medication. However, it is not possible to put the animals on a controlled diet if they continue to be fed from outside. The zoo is reliant on the help and understanding of the public. This is the only way to keep the animals healthy and pain-free.
The zoo and wildlife park staff are well aware that most visitors who feed the animals without authorisation actually mean well and may not know what damage they can cause.
In principle, animals should never be fed without the knowledge and permission of the owner or keeper. Each individual has its own diet, which is balanced in terms of the quantity and quality of food, and any deviation can be harmful. In the worst case scenario, the animals can become ill or even die as a result of eating the wrong food or too much food.
It is therefore always advisable to leave the feeding of the animals in the zoo to the animal keepers. They complete a demanding three-year training programme that is incredibly varied. They therefore know what their charges are allowed to eat, how much of it is healthy and whether the vet has prescribed a diet.
If an animal is harmed when being fed by someone else, the person responsible can be held liable and may be penalised as attempted or negligent cruelty to animals under the Animal Welfare Act.