Pet Connection staff who discovered seven baby hamsters abandoned in a filthy cage in the store’s car park on Monday last say they are “disgusted” by the neglect.
Staff discovered the seven Roborovski Dwarf hamsters “surrounded by their own waste and exposed to the elements”. The hamsters are believed to be from two different litters and all under the age of seven weeks, with the smallest of them weighing less than 10 grams.
Pet Connection owner Roisin Morgan said the incident is the third of its kind at the Dublin Road store and marks a worrying trend where “people continue to put these animals at unnecessary risk.”
“In previous years it has been litters of tiny, defenceless kittens, who just like these hamsters, were too young to have been taken from their mothers,” Morgan said.
Ms Morgan estimated that all of the hamsters will be ready to find a home in 1-2 weeks.
“We operate successful rehoming schemes for many different species through our shop and we will always help people with unwanted pets if at all possible,” Morgan said.