A thousand hamsters were found in a Stockholm apartment – a woman has been sentenced for animal welfare crimes

The couple told police questioning that they were never supposed to have so many hamsters.

According to investigations, it started when they had to take care of about a hundred hamsters for a family member for a long time.

But the hamsters multiplied quickly and complaints came from neighbors about strong smells and whistling and screeching sounds. In addition to the hamsters, there were also about ten mice and a few golden hamsters.

There have also been sales of hamsters to pet stores without the pair obtaining a breeding permit.

150 animals were immediately seized

When the district administration arrived there in June 2021, it immediately took care of about 150 animals considered to be in poor condition. On re-inspection a few days later, there was a clear improvement according to the county council's report. Only about 300 hamsters remain. The rest was eventually taken care of by the original owner.

The woman is judged: “Grateful you came.”

The woman in the couple was deemed responsible for raising the animals and was now sentenced to daily fines for violating the Animal Welfare Act.

“Of course it was wrong, we're grateful you came. You don't know where it would have ended up otherwise. We know there were a very large number of animals that were kept overcrowded in some cases, but they had food and water,” the woman said in questioning. And enrichment.”