Animal shelters and zoos across the country are offering unique opportunities for those who want to express their feelings towards their former lovers this Valentine’s Day. From naming feral cats, bugs, rodents, or cockroaches after exes to feeding them to bigger animals or even having a dead rat eaten by a raptor, there are plenty of ways to get revenge while raising money for a good cause.
One woman, Teri Scott from Washington, donated $100 to name a frozen dead rat after her ex, seeing it as a gift to herself for her first anniversary as a newly single woman. Another fundraiser at the Bird Treatment and Learning Center in Anchorage, Alaska, allows people to name a mealworm after their ex for $10 and have it fed to a crow or magpie.
The Memphis Zoo in Tennessee offers a “Dating or Dumping” campaign where, for $10, you can either get a digital card and video of a red panda eating a grape for your lover, or a video of an elephant pooping for your nemesis. After Valentine’s Day, the zoo will post a recap video showing the names of those memorialized.
While these events may seem humorous, they are also raising money to help facilities pay for salaries and care for animals. Laura Atwood, the Bird Treatment and Learning Center’s executive director, stated that the fundraisers provide people with a cathartic way to work out their feelings after a hurtful relationship. Donation videos of animals eating the named objects will be shared with donors, providing a lighthearted way to celebrate Valentine’s Day differently.
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