Target: Liz White, leader of the Animal Protection Party of Canada
Goal: Protect pet hamsters from abuse through forced exercise.
Pet owners try to meet their beloved pets’ exercise needs and are viciously misled by information found on the Internet and in pet stores. Using so-called “exercise balls,” hundreds of hamsters and other small pets endure traumatic abuse and pain. Exercise balls come in various sizes and colors that never change their deadly properties.
While running in the ball, hamsters are confronted with numerous dangers; bumping into furniture puts the rodents at risk of severely injuring themselves or head trauma. Other animals might chase it, believing the trapped hamster to be a toy, and falling off staircases leads to a horrific death. The panic-stricken hamsters keep running until they are exhausted, waiting for their torture to end.
The hamster’s plastic surrounding does not offer a sufficient amount of oxygen, which stresses the animal. The stress, lack of oxygen, and the exhaustion of trying to free itself can lead to a slow and agonizing death. In many cases, the trapped animal is forced to run in its own feces.
Exercise balls are completely unnecessary and cause trauma and in severe cases death in the animal that is stuck inside one. There are many alternative ways to offer hamsters healthy and adequate exercise, like properly sized non-metal exercise wheels.
The torture of hamsters has to stop now. Sign this petition to initiate measures to prohibit exercise balls and give hamsters the free choice to exercise.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Miss White,
Hamsters make cute pets and are adored by many. Trying to meet these rodents’ high exercise needs people to imprison their pet hamsters in plastic balls, that force hamster to endure horrible torture.
Trapped inside an exercise ball, hamsters try to find a way to escape and keep running in their own feces to find the nonexistent exit.
Exercise balls not only cause severe injuries, stress and trauma, but can even kill hamsters. Bumping into furniture, falling off staircases, and lack of oxygen make a hamster’s plastic toy a deadly trap.
Hamsters should not be forced to exercise and should be given a choice. As the leader of the Animal Protection Party of Canada, I plead with you to help these innocent animals. Please initiate steps to prohibit exercise balls in Canada once and for all.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Rick Kimpel
Ashamed as a Canadian!!
Who the fuck would do this to their baby? Trap them inside a ball? You need to be trapped inside an exercise maze and see how you like it you stupid piece of shit
It looks like a sadistic contraption and very inhumane for the hampster. This should not exist. Please prohibit the sale of these items. The same applies to glue traps which are horrifically cruel.
Sickening. Holding any living creature prisoner and in a ball!
These balls are sold everywhere, not just in Canada. You aren’t supposed to leave a pet in them long-term, just for awhile (under strict supervision). Also, the ball needs to be cleaned after each use. Used wisely, they aren’t so awful.
Oh, geez. If you’re a responsible pet owner this isn’t a problem. Lets keep the focus on petitions for real, deliberate animal cruelty.
It is indeed a real problem. Not for the responsible guardian. But for the hamsters.There are many lazy uncaring mean horrible people. Animal abuse must be taken seriously
Exactly, Dr. Sen! Too many humans are dumb as posts, with little to no cognitive or critical thinking skills, AND/or no empathy. That’s why the rest of us have to make up for their lack of thought or empathy. It’s up to US to point out what should be the OBVIOUS!
I agree with you both
It is indeed a real problem. Not for the responsible guardian. But for the hamsters.There are many lazy uncaring mean horrible people. Animal abuse must be taken seriously
I’ve always looked at these horrible contraptions as cruel, despite never having had a hamster. It’s a big DUH! seeing how they could EASILY become a hazard. These stupid damn people who buy them – it’s your DUTY to look at ‘toys’ and accessories THROUGH THE LENS OF THE LIVING BEING YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF, not from a human lens, not to fuel your own amusement, laziness or irresponsibility!
Also, no one should be buying ANY animal to begin with. ADOPT, don’t shop! And don’t even ‘rescue’ if you’re too deficient to do right by that animal!
By now, EVERYONE should know the industry of so-called “pocket pets” (an exploitative, demeaning label ITSELF) is RAMPANT with utter cruelty and abuse, where MOST of those animals are bred and raised in torturous and LETHAL conditions, and where most don’t even make it to the stores that SELL them as if they’re merely chattel. NONE of this should be supported, but banned outright! Like most animals, hamsters belong in the WILD, not your shopping cart.
Well said DM