DISCLAIMER: Readers may find some images in the article rather unsettling. Viewer discretion is advised.
As many animal lovers there may be in Singapore, we have our fair share of those who fail to care for these helpless creatures too.
Recently, 3 wounded hamsters were found abandoned at a Jurong West bus stop.
Left in plastic containers, the hamsters suffered from severe skin conditions partly due to their unhygienic living environment.
At about 9.48pm on Friday (9 Jul), Hamster Society Singapore (HSS) received news about 3 hamsters at a bus stop in Jurong West.
Here’s the exact location of the bus stop:
Thankfully, an HSS rescuer happened to be nearby and came to attend to the hamsters.
According to her, it was pouring and rain was gushing into the bus stop when she arrived.
She also said the containers were infested with ants and reeked of a sour stench.
Despite being overwhelmed by the 32 hamsters they had taken in earlier that day, the HSS rescuers knew they had to help the 3 hamsters.
Seeing just how severe their skin conditions were, the rescuers couldn’t bear to leave them in someone else’s hands.
Judging from the wounds, they suspected that the hamsters may have been living in 1 cage, which isn’t ideal as they tend to fight. Injuries from that may have then worsened due to their unclean living conditions.
Large patches of raw, reddened skin were visible on their bodies, in what HSS describes as “one of the worst cases” they have seen.
According to an HSS representative, the skin conditions at this stage may be “a combination of mites, yeast, or even fungal infection”.
The pain was so excruciating that the hamsters reportedly screamed as rescuers attempted to apply medicine to their wounds.
The HSS representative described to MS News just how unhygienic the hamsters’ living environment was.
For instance, the cutout of this water bottle holder was reportedly caked in dirt as well as other particles that resemble poop.
The hamsters’ food trays also looked far from clean, with bits of substrate and bedding material inside.
This attracted ants, which can attack hamsters too.
Apart from the above deficiencies, HSS also shared that the cages were way too small.
To be specific, the cages were reportedly less than half the size of the 70cm by 40cm minimum size that they recommend.
There were also insufficient bedding, hideouts, and wheels available for the hamsters.
According to HSS, these are the basic guidelines to follow when keeping hamsters as pets:
HSS has since reported the case to the Animal Veterinary Service (AVS) who will assist in finding the culprit. Anyone with information that may help can contact HSS via Facebook here.
The hamsters are now under the care of a rescuer, who will be taking them to the vet for medical treatment.
Seeing the helpless hamsters in such horrific conditions is truly heartbreaking. Kudos, however, to the HSS rescuers for attending to them promptly and ensuring that they receive the help they need.
Though details regarding the abandonment remain unclear, we hope this highlights the need for prospective owners to do their research before committing to owning a pet.
Most importantly, we hope the hamsters will make a full recovery and find a furever home with loving owners in the future.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
All images courtesy of Hamster Society Singapore (HSS).
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