This Texas zoo lets you name a cockroach after your ex and have it fed to an animal

By Alma Fabiani

Published Feb 9, 2024 at 09:55 AM

Reading time: 2 minutes

54629

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and for those of us who aren’t booed up and madly in love, it’s safe to say that the dreaded celebration of everything couple couldn’t be over soon enough. If that’s your case, well, I’ve got some good news for you.

The San Antonio Zoo, based in Texas, US is celebrating Valentine’s Day in a very unique way. Later this month, the facility will be partaking in its annual ‘Cry Me a Cockroach’ fundraiser, which will allow individuals to name a cockroach after their ex that will then get fed to a zoo animal. Yep, you read that right, and I know, that’s a pretty genius move.

Costing $10, the donation is non-refundable, and will help the San Antonio Zoo in its “mission of securing a future for wildlife,” as stated on its website.

After making a donation, and submitting the name of their ex, users will then be sent a digital Valentine’s Day card showing their support for the fundraiser.

And if the thought of ending the life of a poor little cockroach is not your thing, alongside them, people can also name a rodent or veggie after an ex, which will similarly be fed to animals at the zoo.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by San Antonio Zoo (@sanantoniozoo)

The vegetarian option, which costs $5, will be fed to one of the zoo’s vegetarian animals on Valentine’s Day. The vegetables consist of romaine lettuce and cabbage, among other greens, the establishment noted.

The other option, meanwhile, costs $25. With that donation, a pre-frozen rodent will be fed to an animal at the San Antonio Zoo on the annual holiday.

The rodents, which are part of regular daily scheduled feedings for the animals, “are delivered frozen from a mouse farm and stored at our Nutrition Center until thawed for feedings,” according to the zoo.

According to People, the San Antonio Zoo’s fundraiser isn’t the only quirky animal-themed Valentine’s Day offering this year. The Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center in Blackwood, New Jersey, launched its ‘Neuter Your Ex’ donation event for Valentine’s Day late last month.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Homeward Bound Pet Adoption (@homewardboundnj)

According to an Instagram post from the organisation, a person can donate $50 to the shelter to have a feral cat named after their ex—and then neutered.

“The cat will then be spayed or neutered before being released back to their colony as part of our trap-neuter-return (TNR) program,” Homeward Bound added on social media about the promotion.

“It’s absolutely taken off,” Eric Schwartz, director of development for Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center, told CBS News of the reaction to the event.

Be right back, I’m just going to name a cockroach Allan and a feral cat Alex.

Keep On Reading

By Sam Wareing

This company will pay you $2,000 to release 100 cockroaches into your home

By Malavika Pradeep

Rats love bopping their heads to Lady Gaga, study discovers

By Charlie Sawyer

Project Armageddon wants to see Parisians cohabitate in harmony with rats

By Eliza Frost

Do artists really owe us surprise guests at gigs, or are our expectations out of control?

By Charlie Sawyer

Former Harry Potter star tells reporters he doesn’t understand JK Rowling’s Twitter transphobia

By Charlie Sawyer

What is Mar-a-Lago face? Unpacking the beauty trend prompted by Donald Trump’s second term

By Charlie Sawyer

22-year-old groom arrested after police find 9-year-old bride at staged Disneyland wedding

By Charlie Sawyer

The #MeToo movement is at risk. How the Harvey Weinstein retrial risks doing unimaginable damage 

By Eliza Frost

People think Donald Trump is dead and they’re using the Pentagon Pizza Index to prove it

By Eliza Frost

Why isn’t Sylvanian Drama posting on TikTok? Here’s the legal tea

By Charlie Sawyer

Johnny Depp plays the victim once more and anoints himself crash test dummy for #MeToo

By Charlie Sawyer

What is ketamine therapy, the psychiatric treatment healing famous Mormons Jen and Zac Affleck’s marriage?

By Charlie Sawyer

Trump grants white South Africans refuge after ending legal protections for Afghans facing deportation

By Charlie Sawyer

First look at $1 billion UK mini city where controversial HBO Harry Potter series will be filmed

By Charlie Sawyer

Harry Potter TV series crew bewildered over production’s strange decision on location to film iconic scene

By Eliza Frost

Bad Bunny is not touring the US due to fear of ICE raids at concerts

By Charlie Sawyer

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham hire a lawyer to battle misinformation amid growing family rift

By Eliza Frost

Netflix’s new Trainwreck documentary exposes the rise and scandalous fall of American Apparel

By Eliza Frost

How fans manifested Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

By Charlie Sawyer

Another female influencer has been punched in the head in New York. Is it the same attacker?