Quick Take
- The Birmingham Zoo is offering a unique and vengeful Valentine’s Day gift idea: name a cockroach after your ex.
- Your cheeky donation will go to a good cause, helping the zoo care for its animals.
- In return, you’ll receive a Certificate of Naming, a cockroach fact sheet, and the sheer knowledge that there’s a living, breathing roach with your ex’s name.
We all have an ex (or two) who felt more like a pest than an actual partner. You know the type: they come into your life when you least expect them, create a mess of everything, spread their toxicity with zero regard, and require repeated extermination efforts to finally get rid of them.
Basically, they’re like the human form of a cockroach.
If you relate to this at all, my condolences to you. But thankfully, you can get your sweet (yet harmless) revenge on them—and just in time for Valentine’s Day.
That’s right: the Birmingham Zoo is helping people channel their anger and resentment toward their ex by naming a cockroach after them. Instead of spending Valentine’s Day pining after your pest of an ex-partner, have some lighthearted fun with the Birmingham Zoo—all while giving back to animals in need.
About the Cockroach Campaign
The Birmingham Zoo’s Valentine’s Day Fundraiser is all the rage this year—and for good reason. Rather than spending the night alone crying on the couch, you now have a second option: channel your grief and pettiness toward a good cause.
“The Birmingham Zoo wanted to do something fun for Valentine’s Day. In addition to the traditional plush animals and Valentine’s events, this year we added roaches to the mix,” Bill Lang, Director of Marketing and Events for the Birmingham Zoo, tells A-Z Animals. “A few other zoos in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), with us, have tried something similar in the past, and it has gone well, so we are trying it ourselves.”
According to Lang, the feedback has been phenomenal.
“Based on reactions on social and traditional media, people are loving this lighthearted app-roach,” he quips.
How It Works
Wondering how the name-a-roach fundraiser works? We’ve got you covered. All you need is a minimum $20 donation and the vengeance of a scorned lover.
“Anyone can ‘Name a Roach’ for $20,” Lang explains. “They will receive a digital certificate, and the roach names will be displayed at the entrance to the Zoo over the Valentine’s weekend.”
Don’t worry: only your ex’s first name will be displayed on the infamous Cockroach Naming Window at the entrance of the Zoo. But real ones will know the truth.
The zoo will name a Madagascar hissing cockroach after your lying ex-partner.
©iStock.com/OKrasyuk
If you’re really in the mood to stir the pot, you can even send the certificate to your ex as a cheeky Valentine’s Day gift. We’re not judging.
In addition to the digital Certificate of Naming, you’ll also receive a cockroach fact sheet. You know, in case you wanted to learn a little more about these creatures. You might be shocked to discover that they’re far friendlier and more helpful than your ex ever was.
In addition to the traditional plush animals and Valentine’s events, this year we added roaches to the mix.
Bill Lang, Director of Marketing and Events for the Birmingham Zoo
“Cockroaches play an important role in our ecosystems, and this is a fun way to highlight them and help raise money to care for the zoo animals, including the Madagascar hissing cockroaches,” says Lang.
How to Participate
Ready to name your roach—whether for yourself or on behalf of a heartbroken friend? To do so, you must submit your donation by the end of the day on February 12.
Here’s how to participate:
- Visit this page on the Birmingham Zoo’s website and click “Adopt an Animal” at the bottom.
- Scroll to the bottom of the next page, where you’ll see the option to “Name a Cockroach.” Select this option.
- Fill out the certification, including the first and last name you’d like listed; or, if you’re donating this to a friend, select: “This Adopt an Animal is a gift” and fill out the proper fields.
- Consider donating additional money to help feed the zoo animals.
On Valentine’s Day, look out for photos of the naming board shared across the Zoo’s social media channels.
Giving Back to Birmingham Zoo
All of the Valentine’s Day fundraiser’s proceeds directly support the care of animals at Birmingham Zoo. In addition to donating to this hilarious campaign, you can help the zoo in a variety of other ways. (Click the Get Involved tab for more information.)
For example, you can browse the variety of “Adopt an Animal” packages, from the $25 Go Green option to the $500 Animal Ambassador one. Through these donations, you can receive perks like fact sheets, photos, invitations to donor events, plushes, and more, depending on the level you choose.
And, of course, consider becoming a member to offer ongoing support.
