The Scottish SPCA is appealing for information after a hamster was found abandoned on an Edinburgh street inside a plastic play tube.
Scotland’s animal welfare charity was alerted on Saturday (1 March) after a resident of Dumbeg Park, Wester Hailes, found the tiny creature on a pavement.
The brown and white adult male Syrian hamster is now in the care of the Scottish SPCA’s Edinburgh and Lothians Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre, where he has been named Fievel.
Animal Rescue Officer Stephanie Grant said, “Fievel was found at around 4pm on Saturday afternoon inside a blue and transparent plastic tube, which looks like an attachment to a hamster cage.
“The tube was open at one end so he could easily have escaped and come to harm from nearby traffic or predators.
“I also noticed there was no food available for Fievel to eat so it’s very lucky he was found alive and well.
“He’s a friendly little guy who doesn’t mind being handled and he’s in good condition so he’s clearly been someone’s pet.
“However, this doesn’t excuse the fact that he’s been dumped on the street like a piece of rubbish.
“We’ll continue to care for Fievel until we can find him a good home with a loving new owner.”
Abandoning an animal is an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and anyone found guilty of doing so can expect to be banned from keeping animals for a fixed period or life.
Anyone with information is being urged to call the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
