Norbert Zajac is dead: his pet shop in Duisburg was the largest in the world
Created: 12/15/2022 1:43 p.m
By: Peter Seven
Norbert Zajac also dealt in exotic animals.
© Monika Skolimowska/dpa
Norbert Zajac has died.
The dealer made "Zoo Zajac" in Duisburg the world's largest pet shop.
The store has always been a source of controversy.
Duisburg – On the phone, the taped announcement comes first with the voice of Norbert Zajac.
Only then does an employee answer and confirm: The pet dealer from Duisburg died at the age of 67.
She did not provide any further information, reports 24RHEIN.
Norbert Zajac is dead: he founded the largest pet shop in the world
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Norbert Zajac built "Zoo Zajac" in Duisburg into an empire
What Norbert Zajac has created in the course of his life is nothing less than an empire: his shop "Zoo Zajac" in Duisburg is the largest pet shop in the world.
12,000 animals from 3,000 different species live in the huge shop with an area of 13,000 square meters.
“Zoo Zajac” also trades in exotic animals such as snakes, monkeys, turtles and meerkats.
Above the heads of the customers, sloths even shimmy along ropes attached to the ceiling in the store.
Zoo Zajac
► In 1975 Norbert Zajac started a pet shop in Duisburg-Meiderich.
In 2004, "Zoo Zajac" expanded to a new location in Duisburg-Neumühl and finally became the world's largest pet shop.
► 12,000 animals live on a shop area of 13,000 square meters.
The shop has 1000 aquariums, 500 terrariums, dozens of aviaries and numerous pond tanks.
► "Zoo Zajac" also sells very exotic animals, with which Zajac always caused a stir: For example, sloths, meerkats, caimans, monkeys, armadillos and other animal species were and are on offer.
► In 2012, Norbert Zajac started selling puppies, which have actually not been offered in pet shops in Germany since the 1990s.
"Zoo Zajac" was repeatedly criticized by animal rights activists.
Baby sloth Friedolin grows up at “Zoo Zajac”.
Just a few months ago, the news that a baby sloth was growing up with Norbert Zajac caused a stir.
The imported female sloth Frieda had become pregnant.
The zoo said she had rejected her young.
After that, Norbert Zajac fed Friedolin the baby sloth himself.
It all started with rather ordinary small animals.
As a child, Norbert Zajac and his brothers bred and sold animals such as guinea pigs and slow worms.
When he was barely 14, he established himself as a budgerigar breeder.
He even got a special permit from the veterinarian for this.
Ornamental fish from Singapore
Zajac quickly developed a good nose for current customer requirements: As a young man, he had ornamental fish imported from Singapore as early as 1970 because the demand was growing and exceeded his own breeding stocks.
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Puppies behind glass: "Zoo Zajac" also caused criticism and controversy
Nevertheless, Zajac first did an apprenticeship as a steel construction fitter.
In 1975, however, he and his wife Jutta took over a classic pet shop in Duisburg-Meiderich.
In the early 2000s, the business expanded and initially became one of the largest zoo stores in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Since then, the zoo empire in Duisburg-Neumühl has grown to its current size.
In 2012 Norbert Zajac started selling puppies.
Animal rights activists have repeatedly criticized this.
(Archive) © Roland Weihrauch/dpa
Norbert Zajac repeatedly caused controversy.
Criticism came mainly from animal rights activists.
For example, when he also traded in puppies in the 2010s, which were offered for sale in the huge pet shop behind glass.
Zajac gives the impression that anyone can keep extraordinary animals in their living room, according to the German Animal Welfare Association.
Norbert Zajac himself emphasized that he only sells exotic animals after detailed advice.
Dispute with TV dog trainer Martin Rütter
There was recently a dispute in a prominent position with the TV dog trainer Martin Rütter.
The "Zoo Zajac" criticized regularly because of the puppy sale and called for a boycott of the zoo business.
This type of trade is "psycho-terror" for the animals, Rütter wrote, for example, in a Facebook post.
Zajac himself called his dog facility the most modern in Europe.
Norbert Zajac: Answers to keeping hyenas on our own YouTube channel
After various TV documentaries about him and his business, Norbert Zajac became a YouTube star.
He became a cult with his internet videos, and his channel was recently followed by around 300,000 subscribers.
In the clips, Zajac sometimes talked about everyday animals, sometimes philosophized about bush crocodiles and garden eels or answered viewer questions - about how to keep hyenas.
(pen)