More Hong Kong Police Will Be Deployed If More Residents To Adopt Hamsters Amid Mass Extermination Orders

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JAKARTA - Hong Kong police have been prepared to deal with animal lovers who are trying to stop people from handing over their hamsters for culling.

In the midst of the mass extermination orders, more and more people are offering to care for abandoned hamsters. Order to exterminate rodents in order to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus.

On Tuesday, authorities ordered the culling of some 2.000 hamsters from dozens of pet shops after tracing the coronavirus outbreak to a worker at a pet shop, where 11 hamsters later tested positive for COVID-19, Reuters reported.

Thousands of people have offered to adopt unwanted hamsters amid public protests against the government and pandemic advisers.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation (AFCD) said that all efforts to try to save the hamsters would be prosecuted, even if they had to take legal action.

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"If the person concerned continues to do so, or refuses to return the hamster that was taken, the AFCD will handle it and leave the matter to the police," said the department, which also advises people not to kiss their pets, quoted from Antara.

The government said the animals were sent humanely and called on all sectors of society to unite in fighting the spread of the coronavirus.

Around the world, cases of the coronavirus have emerged in a variety of animals including dogs and cats, although scientists say there is no evidence that animals play a major role in transmitting the coronavirus to humans.

The Hong Kong government has said they are taking no chances.

Unlike other cities, Hong Kong maintains a "zero COVID" strategy focused on eliminating the disease, with schools and gyms closing, restaurants closing at 6 p.m., and air travel being restricted or closed.

Hong Kong has also tested rabbits and chinchillas but only hamsters have tested positive for COVID-19. The animals were imported from the Netherlands.

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