Cornwall, England – Zookeepers at the Newquay Zoo in Corwall made the difficult decision to euthanize two unlikely best friends on the same day in order to prevent one of them from being lonely after the other’s death. The sad news was released to followers of the zoo in a February 20 Facebook post.
It is with deep sadness that we announce the loss of Johnson, our nine-year-old capybara, and Al, our 20-year-old Brazilian tapir. Following careful assessment and consultation between our veterinary and animal care teams, the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanise both animals on Friday 20 February due to age-related health decline.
Explaining the friendship the two animals had formed:
Johnson and Al shared a long-standing companionship within our South American enclosure. Capybaras and tapirs are naturally calm, social species, and the two animals had developed a strong bond over the years.
According to the zoo, both animals had recently developed health problems that were negatively impacting their quality of life. The zoo explained their difficult decision, writing:
After careful consideration, we made the difficult decision to humanely euthanise them together, ensuring neither animal would experience isolation following the loss of a companion.
Those who knew and loved them are mourning the tremendous loss.
Rest easy Johnson and Al.
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36 Comments
Zoo pimps playing God. The UK is now void of ethical moral standards once the original bastion for the word of God, no longer. No righteous compass, this is specular humanism.
Zoo pimps playing God. The UK is now void of ethical moral standards once the original bastion for the word of God, no longer. No righteous compass, this is specular humanism.
These comments are mindblowing! I have no doubt that the staff and vets at this zoo made the right and very difficult decision for these animals. They interact with them daily and know them well. they were both older and had developed health problems. To leave one of a bonded pair alone is cruel. People need to get a grip.
This is so wrong at so many levels!!!!
Yes that’s ridiculous to do that why not find a new companion for the one remaining that makes this loss even worse to bear.
If your partner should die, do you think some random companion will fill the hole they left in your life? A bestie is a bestie, they were both at the end of their lives and suffering from illnesses. I think this decision was thoughtful and caring.
I agree with you, they had a happy friendship, had one been left on its own it would have grieved, stopped eating and drinking. animals cant recover from grief like us humans, even humans struggle for ages if the relationship was close.
These 2 dedicated friends had a wonderful life together.
This Would be to hard for me to do if the other animal was goin to be able to live.WeDint go killing husbands or Wives just because the one has died I would have to Evaluate the Animal to see.hoe.iydbdoin before Comin Down to making a decision like that.
age related health decline . read first
age related health decline . read first
Maybe we should euthanize people who are “lonely”.
I will never go to a zoo because of this stupid reasoning! What a load of rubbish, I tell you what let’s go around the zoo staff and find out who doesn’t have any friends and let’s uthanize them shall we, NO because it is a senseless and ridiculous act to do. SHAME ON YOU
That’s some retarded bullshit. Maybe those people who decided it should euthanize themselves so they won’t be lonely co-workers either.
This is the most idiotic and senseless thing ever. Shame on this crap hole zoo.
age related health decline . read first
The issue is not believing the 9 year old had a significant “health decline”. The report is that one was killed to prevent “loneliness” …. Read the article, including the part you are apparently choosing not to hear.
The issue is not believing the 9 year old had a significant “health decline”. The report is that one was killed to prevent “loneliness” …. Read the article, including the part you are apparently choosing not to hear.
SHAME ON ZOOS!
SHUT DOWN ZOOS!
no no no…. this was sooo wrong…..
why?
🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬😡😡😡😡😡😡🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕👿👿👿👿👿👿👿
murdering animals in thousands daily is not a solution it is a crime and all involved should be hanged. What is their ‘quality of life’ & what are ‘their own health problems’ . Billions of human devils can be murdered everyday under that excuse. Why don’t these devils do it to human devils
I completely understand the decision. Johnson and Al are romping around over the Rainbow Bridge continuing to be the BEST Pals they always were. If they were both suffering from health issues, the one remaining would have suffered a slow depressing death. I often tell my husband that if anything happens to my 17 1/2 year-old feline, Magical, he may as well have me euthanized as well. He’s the love of my life. My husband even tells everyone that he’s a number two.
Absolutely agree with you.
I love your comment and totally agree with your views. others here are really taking this to an extreme. Thank you for your sensible post, animals need more people like you that can consider what is best in such a situation as this
So sad. While zoos can do great work to protect endangered species while educating the public, too many just exploit animals for financial gain.
Bless these two as they better than humans understand what matters. I hope they crossed the rainbow bridge immediately together and remain together forever.
Zoos should be abolished, anyway. Going to a zoo to gawk at the animals is like going to a prison to gawk at the inmates.
I absolutely agree ! Zoos are bloody prisons !
Except the prisoners did something wrong.
The animals did nothing wrong to be imprisoned in THEIR jail.
Very true, it’s not right to take away a wild animal’s right to freedom. Locking animals up just for human entertainment is absolutely wrong!!!
W.T.F.! NO WORDS!
Idiots like who made that decision? Must’ve been the Islamic king! Poor innocent animals with pathetic humans making decisions for them.
Ignore those who say you made the wrong decision!! Under the circumstances I believe the right decision was made!
I agree with you. it was the best of a bad situation. the zoo people knew what was best
Incompetent Veterinary and animal care teams. This was a cop out, plain and simple. What a waste of life. They assumed the future of the companion animal to be too sad to keep him alive? I’ve never heard such stupidity. Every life matters! When are zoo staff going to figure that out?
My condolences to you all for your loss of these wonderful animal friends. Their lifespans are at best so much shorter than ours. The love makes it all worthwhile. Bless you for your love and care.