RSPCA Adoptions

Pebbles82 · 03-06-2017, 04:43 AM

Has anyone else noticed most RSPCA branches seem to have no hamsters available any more? I've been looking a lot recently and apart from in the South of England and Scotland there seem to be no hamsters. My nearest one always used to have the odd hamster for adoption.

Is there some kind of change of policy re hamsters? If anyone knows I would like to know as it's the first place people look when wanting to rehome. I wondered if maybe they use local rescues instead now - or something worse!

Drago · 03-06-2017, 04:46 AM

Now I'm in the US so this may not apply to you guys, but most people now seem to give them to small pet stores, friends/family, or I have even heard of them simply letting them go and hoping for the best which is both cruel and illegal. Smaller rescues tend to be better places to look as at least in the US, they specialize in smaller animals and in those that most "big name" groups won't take in

cypher · 03-06-2017, 06:25 AM

There have never been many except in the south east whenever I've looked in the past, certainly none in my area so I don't think I'd notice a change! Can you contact them & ask it they've changed policy or anything?

Jennie F · 03-06-2017, 07:29 AM

I looked in various RSPCA adoption sections of various Pets at Home stores whilst looking for my new hammy. Right after Christmas the adoption block was completely empty at my two local stores. When I looked again a few weeks later, there were a few dwarves, lots of rats but no syrians. I was also told by one staff member in one that the ones in the adoption block arent necessarily returned pets, but are normally ones that have been there for a while with no interest. I was hoping to adopt one, but ended up buying one from the normal section as little Khaleesi "spoke" to me (aka licked the window in front of me and followed me about like the stalker I now know her to be). I think the little window licker chose me

cypher · 03-06-2017, 08:03 AM

That's nothing to do with the RSPCA Jennie, it's Support Adoption for Pets.

chesca_27 · 03-06-2017, 09:50 AM

I think the majority of the RSPCA hamsters have always been in the South East, particularly around London, so convenient for me. Have you tried Gumtree yet? Pets At Home adoption centre might be one of the best places to go. Are you looking for a new ham?

SKB_Hamsters · 03-06-2017, 10:07 AM

I also noticed that most of the hamsters on the RSPCA have been in the South. There used to be quite a few up for adoption near me but recently there have only been a few.
I don't know whether it is because more people are trying to rehome their hamsters by selling them on Gumtree or on Pets4homes instead of taking their hamsters to a rescue centre. But you could try local rescue centres and see whether they have any hamsters for adoption.
When I was looking to adopt a new Syrian after Sherbet - I couldn't find any Syrians local to me at a RSPCA branch or at a local rescue centre or online so I was glad when I found Pumpkin up for adoption in one of my local p@h.

Pebbles82 · 03-06-2017, 12:45 PM

I know there are other places to adopt hammies but the RSPCA used to be the first place I looked and a year or so ago Leeds, Stokesley and other northern RSPCA's always had a few hammies.

velma · 03-06-2017, 01:34 PM

At a guess, I'd say there are other options now for people to rehome hamsters. You have various pre loved websites for people to rehome their own hamsters now, as well as other animal welfare charities. And I would guess that p@h having their adoption sections in store are more convenient for a lot of people to get to by virtue of there being so many stores.

Pebbles82 · 03-06-2017, 01:43 PM

Just wondered why the RSPCA doesn't have hamsters! There must be loads of hamsters rescued.