Albino Hamsters Found!

By Hope Bidegainberry on July 13, 2018

A group of albino dwarf hamsters found dumped outside the Sears store at Tanforan Mall in San Bruno is now available for adoption at the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA (PHS/SPCA).  A Good Samaritan witnessed people in a truck dump two glass tanks in a shopping cart in the parking lot and then drive away quickly.  The person decided to investigate what was in the tanks when she discovered the hamsters and brought them to PHS/SPCA.

“We are very grateful to the individual who brought the abandoned hamsters to us,” said PHS/SPCA’s Communications Manager Buffy Martin Tarbox.  “Thanks to her, the hamsters were saved and we are now able to find new and loving homes for them.”

The tanks were dumped last month and contained a total of fourteen hamsters.  Two have already been adopted and PHS/SPCA is seeking homes for the remaining twelve.

Dwarf hamsters make fun and entertaining pets and are ideal for someone living in an apartment. Dwarf hamsters are smaller than other hamsters and have an average lifespan of three years.  Hamsters can be excellent escape artists, so they will need either a tank with a tight-fitting screen lid for ventilation, or a cage with bars spaced very closely together to serve as their secure habitat, along with access to fresh water and suitable hamster food and toys, including a running wheel.

“Not only are hamsters adorable, they make good pets and can be very affectionate,” according to Tarbox.  “They are most active during the night time, so if you’re a light sleeper, it’s best to not keep their cage in a bedroom, and always make sure the hamsters are separated by gender to prevent unwanted litters.”

PHS/SPCA encourages potential adopters to visit their Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion at 1450 Rollins Road in Burlingame to meet the hamsters. The shelter is open seven days a week for adoptions, Monday through Friday 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and weekends 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Each hamster’s adoption fee is $10.