Fury over Hong Kong's mass cull of hamsters and small pets

Like China, Hong Kong maintains a staunch "zero-Covid" policy, stamping out the merest trace of the virus with contact tracing, mass testing, strict quarantines and prolonged social-distancing rules.

Their latest measures target hamsters and other small mammals -- including chinchillas, rabbits and guinea pigs -- which authorities on Tuesday said will be culled as a "precautionary measure".

The drastic move came after hamsters sold at the Little Boss pet shop tested positive for the Delta variant -- now rare in Hong Kong.

Officials dressed in full PPE gear carried red garbage bags marked with biohazard warnings out of the shop on Tuesday night.

Authorities "strongly encouraged" anyone who bought a hamster after December 22 -- right before Christmas -- to give up their pet for culling.

Animal lovers across Hong Kong reacted with alarm: a Change.org petition garnered more than 23,000 signatures in less than a day, and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) denounced the decision.

"The SPCA is shocked and concerned over the recent announcement about the handling of over 2,000 animals," it said in a statement sent to AFP Wednesday.

"We urge pet owners not to panic or abandon their pets."

One hamster lovers' group said it received more than 20 inquiries about whether owners had to give up their furry friends.

Authorities said Tuesday the Covid-positive creatures were believed to be imported from Netherlands.

"Internationally, there is no evidence yet to show pets can transmit the coronavirus to humans, but... we will take precautionary measures against any vector of transmission," Health secretary Sophia Chan said during a press conference.

About 1,000 animals sold at Little Boss and another 1,000 hamsters in dozens of pet shops across Hong Kong will be culled, authorities said.

The import of small mammals has also been banned.