Dedicate a live cockroach or rat to an ex and watch it get eaten at the San Antonio Zoo this Valentine’s Day

Purchase a cockroach, rat, or veggie, name it after your ex, then the zoo will feed it to the animals

Cockroach and torn paper heart on red background (Olga Yastremska, New Africa, Afr, Olga Yastremska, New Africa, Africa Studio)

SAN ANTONIO – Vengeful exes can rejoice — the San Antonio Zoo’s ‘Cry Me A Cockroach’ fundraiser has returned for another year.

The fourth-annual fundraising event will begin Tuesday, Jan. 10, and go through Feb. 14.

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The program will allow people to purchase a live cockroach, a frozen rat, or veggies, and zoo staff members will feed it to animals on Valentine’s Day.

“The season of love and loath is back,” said CEO of San Antonio Zoo Tim Morrow, President. “Whether it was a sour romance, a breakup with your work, or a collective dislike for a 2022 trend, the Cry Me a Cockroach Fundraiser is here to help you leave that negativity behind,” said Morrow.

Name a cockroach after your ex this Valentine's Day.

Those who participate will receive a customizable certificate showing their participation in the event and an email with a video of a cockroach, rodent, or veggie being fed to an animal.

You can also opt to notify your ex that a cockroach, rodent, or veggie was named in their honor, and they will receive a digital Valentine’s Day card with a message you write them personally, a news release stated.

This year, you can get a cockroach for a $10 donation, veggies for $10, and a rodent for $25.

And for those who may really need a satisfying revenge, the zoo is offering upgrades for 20 people that include a custom voiceover on their critter-feeding video. Those cost $150. You can watch an example online.

Funds raised through the event will help benefit the zoo. Last year, there were more than 7,000 donations from all 50 states and 30 different countries, zoo officials said.

Those interested in participating can sign up on the zoo’s website.


About the Author:

Emily Ramirez is a Digital Producer trainee for KSAT 12. She has written and photographed for several magazines and newspapers, including San Antonio Magazine, Austin Monthly and the San Antonio Current. A proud San Antonio native and graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, she is now completing her M.A. at UTSA.