Hong Kong: Hong Kong warned people not to kiss pets and ordered the mass killing of hamsters on Tuesday, much to the outrage of animal-lovers, after 11 rodents tested positive for COVID-19.
Recently, a pet shop employee examined hundreds of animals in the Chinese-ruled territory in which 11 hamsters were found to be infected, officials said.
Echoing the mainland’s zero-tolerance policy, even as much of the world has shifted to living with COVID, Hong Kong ordered 2,000 hamsters down “humanely”, and Imports and sales ceased.
Various pet stores around the city were closed and disinfected, while men in protective gear scoured the store in the center of the cluster in the bustling Causeway Bay district.
The local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which runs a veterinary clinic, urged a rethink.
“The SPCA is shocked and concerned by the recent government announcement to handle more than 2,000 small animals, which does not take into account animal welfare and the human-animal bond,” it added.
Health Secretary Sophia Chan told a news conference that officials are taking precautions, although there is no evidence that domestic animals can infect humans.
Leung Siu-fai Leung, director of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, also told reporters, “Pet owners should keep a good hygiene practice, including washing hands after touching animals, handling their food or other items, and Kissing animals should be avoided.”
Hong Kong is also testing rabbits and chinchillas but only hamsters were positive. According to local broadcaster RTHK, they were all imported from the Netherlands.
Around the world, cases of coronavirus have also been reported in dogs and cats, although scientists say there is no evidence that animals play a major role in human infection.
hamster hotline
Leung said the Hong Kong hamsters had to be put down because it was impossible to isolate and inspect each one. He said that after December 22, 2021, buyers of hamsters should hand them over to the authorities to kill them and not leave them on the streets.
Officials said a hotline was being set up for inquiries while around 150 customers of the pet shop were going into quarantine.
Last September, three pet cats who tested positive for the coronavirus were dumped in the Chinese city of Harbin, prompting a backlash on social media.
Elsewhere, Denmark removed millions of minks in 2020 to curb the COVID-19 mutation. And some Russian regions have vaccinated animals against COVID-19 after Moscow said it had registered the world’s first vaccine for animals after tests for dogs, cats, foxes and minks.
Nicolas Osterreider, dean of the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences at City University of Hong Kong, said the human-to-animal-to-human transmission chain is rare, but does happen with mink cases.
“This is obviously a drastic measure, but one that results in zero COVID (rules),” he said of Hong Kong’s moves. “Hamsters are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and can produce large amounts of the virus.”
Global welfare group World Animal Protection said the measures were premature. “Killing animals should always be a last resort and we encourage governments to explore other options, such as quarantining, first,” said research chief Jan Schmidt-Barbach.
After three months without any local transmission, Hong Kong has seen dozens of new coronavirus cases in humans this year, prompting new restrictions on flights and social life.
Thousands have been sent to a temporary government quarantine facility. Most of the new cases are of the highly contagious New Omicron variety, although the cluster traced to a pet store employee was Delta.
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