The couple tells in the police interrogation that it was never intended that there would be so many hamsters.
According to the interrogations, it started when they had to take care of around a hundred hamsters for a family member for a long time.
But the hamsters multiplied quickly and complaints came in from neighbors about strong smells and beeping and screeching sounds. In addition to the hamsters, there were also around ten rats and a few golden hamsters.
There had also been sales of hamsters to pet stores without the couple having a permit for breeding.
Immediately seized 150 animals
When the county administration came there in June 2021, they immediately took care of around 150 animals that were judged to be in poor conditions. At a re-inspection a few days later, there had been a clear improvement according to the County Board’s report. Only about 300 of the hamsters remained. The rest had been taken care of by the original owner in the end.
The woman is sentenced: “Grateful that you came”
The woman in the couple was considered responsible for the animal husbandry and has now been sentenced to daily fines for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
– Of course it was wrong, we are grateful that you came. You don’t know where it would have ended otherwise. We know that there were too many animals that were kept cramped in some cases, but they had food, water and enrichment, said the woman in the interrogation.