An Irish charity devoted to hamsters is encouraging potential homeowners to ditch conventional recommendation on taking care of their furry buddies.
Hamster Info Ireland advocates an “ethical care” strategy for the favored pet.
It was arrange by hamster lovers Sophie Laverty, from Athy, Co Kildare, and Stephanie Moran, from Athlone, Co Roscommon, to unfold consciousness of finest observe in terms of caring for the small rodents.
The charity additionally operates a hamster rescue and rehoming service that covers your entire island of Ireland.
Ms Laverty, a 28-year-old communications adviser, keeps foster hamsters in a specially kitted-out shed in her garden in Athy, along with her own two pets.
Her passion for hamsters was sparked a couple of years ago when she was given one as a Christmas present.
She met Ms Moran online, when they both contributed to a Facebook page about looking after pet hamsters.
However, when they realised they were spending most of their time offering advice on the page rather than learning from it, they decided to set up their own website.
“We founded Hamster Info Ireland because there is a significant lack of ethical-care awareness, a lot of people think hamsters are OK in small cages, but in fact they need something bigger,” said Ms Laverty.
“The main reason we exist is to promote that care and spread it as wide as possible.”
As well as advocating much larger enclosures, the charity gives advice on topics such as running wheel sizes for specific breeds and what natural materials to use to build thick layers of substrates for hamsters to burrow in.
“Everything we do is trying to give the hamsters the enrichment that they would need in what they would have in their natural environment, to replicate that as much as possible,” Ms Laverty said.
She insists hamster care advice in Ireland had been outdated for years, while the website’s steering relies on up-to-date analysis and requirements, a lot of which is derived from Germany.
Ms Laverty and Ms Moran, together with Christina Lauro Pollock, one other trustee of the charity who lives in Northern Ireland, drive to all elements of the island for his or her rescue and rehoming operation.
While some individuals strategy them immediately for assist, the service usually includes monitoring on-line advertisements posted by individuals who have determined to surrender their hamsters.
“We have a surrender form on the website, so the people that do know about us already, they’d contact us that way,” mentioned Ms Laverty.
“But then we’re always filtering through adverts on DoneDeal, Gumtree and those websites, because a lot of people rehome their animals on there.
“And we just kind of give them a push in our direction. Like saying, ‘listen, if you’re interested, obviously we’re a charity, we can’t pay for anything, but if you’re willing to give the hamster up for free, we have this service. We’ll make sure it goes to a good new home.
“And then, more often than not, they will choose us. So, we’re very thankful for that.”
For extra info go to hamsterinfoireland.ie
