Cruel Abuse of Hamsters Live-Streamed During Forced Cohabitation... Police Launch Investigation

Forced Cohabitation Despite Knowledge of Cannibalistic Tendencies
Comments Such as "Sent to the Afterlife" and "Graveyard" Also Posted

Posts documenting the abuse of small animals, such as hamsters, by forcing them to cohabit in cramped cages have been uploaded to online communities for several months, prompting the police to launch an investigation.

According to the police and other sources on December 29, the Seongdong Police Station in Seoul received a complaint from Animal Liberation Wave on December 9, requesting that the author of the posts, identified as A, be prosecuted for violating the Animal Protection Act. After completing the complainant's interview, the police are expected to begin verifying the facts soon.

The appearance of animals injured due to forced cohabitation. Screenshot from Naver Cafe

A is accused of abusing various small rodents, including hamsters, guinea pigs, pygmy dormice, and Mongolian gerbils, from March of this year until recently. Despite knowing that hamsters have a tendency toward cannibalism and that forced cohabitation can lead to them attacking and injuring or killing each other, A reportedly kept multiple animals together in cramped cages for several months.

Direct Abuse, Including Knocking Out Animals and Bathing Them

Additionally, when the cohabiting animals exhibited abnormal behavior due to stress, A would claim to "fix" them by flicking their heads to knock them out or bathing them, even though water exposure is harmful to these animals. Evidence of such abuse was made public as A posted photos and videos of animals bleeding from injuries or collapsing due to abuse on online communities such as Naver Cafe, and even broadcasted these acts live on social networking services (SNS).

When online users who read A's posts advised against indiscriminate cohabitation, A responded by commenting, "I've already sent the deer hamster to the afterlife," and even posted a photo of a pay-as-you-throw trash bag, referring to it as "the hamster graveyard."

B, who reported the case to Animal Liberation Wave, told the media, "It is estimated that four animals have died since March, and currently a deer hamster's head has been torn and its life is in danger," criticizing the actions as "deliberate and intentional disregard for life." B added, "A has shown violent tendencies, saying things like 'I'll kill the guinea pig and eat it as a side dish,' and used abusive language, which prompted me to report the situation," urging the police to conduct a thorough investigation.

As news of A's abusive acts spread, it has been reported that by December 24, more than 2,000 people had submitted petitions to the police, calling for strict punishment for animal abuse.