Hamster Had Tumour Half The Size Of Its Tiny Body
The Year of the Rat often entails rodent-related purchases to go along with the zodiac.
Items like fashion accessories, kitchenware or food are fine, but living creatures like pets are a whole other story.
A little hamster suffered an unfortunate fate before Chinese New Year (CNY) even arrived, after it was found abandoned in a rubbish bin in Boon Keng on Saturday (11 Jan).
Volunteers from Hamster Society Singapore (HSS) did all they could to save it, but their efforts were too late, according to their heartbreaking Instagram post.
Hamster dumped in Boon Keng rubbish bin
HSS volunteers have had to save hamsters from all sorts of places, but the saddest are always the ones they find in the trash.
A passerby who spotted an IKEA bin complete with hamster accessories near Blk 8 Upper Boon Keng Road alerted HSS to the poor creature’s plight.
But when a rescuer arrived, the bin was not at its initial location.
A panicked search led them to a rubbish bin close by, where they found the IKEA bin with all of its contents, including the hamster.
Weak, dehydrated & smelly
As if its abandonment wasn’t sad enough, the hamster was also in a very sorry state.
Named Gatsby by rescuers, the hamster was “weak, dehydrated and smelly”, and had a tumour “more than half of its own body size”.
Imagine how uncomfortable and unpleasant the helpless creature must have felt.
According to HSS rescuers, Gatsby was so sick that he couldn’t even clean himself, which meant that he could’ve likely died sooner if help hadn’t come.
Sadly, a check with the vet confirmed that surgery to remove the tumour was too risky, and Gatsby had very little time left to live.
Hamster could’ve stayed alive if treated earlier
What upset rescuers most was that signs pointed to the possibility that Gatsby’s owners knew about basic hamster care.
The cage and accessories they had dumped along with him alluded to that.
The fact that rescuers found him under such tragic circumstances suggests that his owners may have denied him medical attention, claims HSS.
According to them, Gatsby could have received life-saving treatment had his owners taken him to the vet much earlier.
Well taken care of till death
Perhaps a slight relief for Gatsby came in the form of HSS rescuers, who provided him with care till his final moments.
They showered him with abundant love and attention as he fought hard for his life.
Gatsby drew his last tiny breath at 11pm yesterday, in a warm and cozy pouch, after the harrowing ordeal.
Be a responsible hamster owner
Gatsby’s case marks the sixth heart-rending rescue HSS have made just 11 days into the new year. They predict more to come, considering the Year of the Rat.
Those who intend to get a pet should seriously think through their decision, and weigh whether they can afford the essentials including medical care.
We’ve seen enough cases of pet abandonment in 2019. Let’s start 2020 on a clean and more positive slate.
Featured image adapted from Instagram.
