Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Hamsters have long been popular as pets, yet their welfare remains a significant concern. A key challenge is the insufficient consideration of their natural behavioral needs, particularly in terms of space, bedding depth and environmental enrichment. Pet stores play a huge central role in shaping how hamsters are cared for, as they are the primary source from which many people acquire hamsters. Pet stores have a high level of responsibility in promoting proper welfare through accurate information. According to Swedish animal welfare legislation, when animals are sold to customers, a fact sheet must be provided to the new owner. This sheet is legally required to include at least fifteen points of information regarding the animal. The aim of this study was to examine the fact sheets to determine whether they meet current legal requirements and to assess whether the content is supported by scientific knowledge about hamsters. Furthermore, the study evaluated how the quality of this information may affect the overall well-being of hamsters. A total of five different pet stores were visited and managed to collect fact sheets from. These included information on both dwarf hamsters and golden hamsters (also called the Syrian hamster).
The results showed that none of the fact sheets fulfilled all fifteen legal requirements. Certain points were consistently missing across all five stores. While some of the information was in line with scientific recommendation, many key aspects were either omitted or presented in a vague or misleading manner. Although pet stores can provide more comprehensive information that would contribute positively to hamster welfare, they often choose not to do so. The information that is distributed is generally brief and, in some cases, contains inaccurate information that could impact a hamster’s wellbeing. During this study, a lack of scientifically based information was also identified, which also plays a crucial role in understanding hamsters’ natural behavior and what is required to provide them with to ensure a good quality of life for them.