“So in six months to a year, as the year of the dragon passes and we move into the year of the snake, we would expect to see a significant increase in lizard abandonment.” [comes]”
However, four reptile stores in Mongkok told the Post on Wednesday that they had not seen a particular increase in lizard sales around the Lunar New Year holiday.
“Ever since the pandemic, sales have been slow,” said Raymond Wong, an employee at Exotic Creatures pet shop. “Caring for reptiles, especially chameleons, is not easy.”
Mr Wong said reptile breeding requires expensive equipment and reptiles have unique environmental demands.
Animal rights groups say they have seen a sharp rise in inquiries about rabbit adoption in recent months.
They blamed the problem on the end of interest in zodiac animals last year and the trend of buying pets as people worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ta.
The charity Trobunny said it received more than 250 inquiries about rabbit adoption in the first 10 months of last year, and about 60 in November and December.
Last year, the company announced that it took in 178 unwanted rabbits, and since the beginning of 2024, it has recorded about 50 inquiries about rehoming the rabbits.
338,000 people stunned by Chinese New Year fireworks in Hong Kong for the first time in five years
338,000 people stunned by Chinese New Year fireworks in Hong Kong for the first time in five years
A spokesperson said the reports primarily involved young rabbits between three and 18 months old, and most had been kept as pets for less than a year.
“They were most likely purchased by the owner sometime in the 1990s.” [last] Lunar New Year,” she said.
“But they may find it difficult to take care of the rabbits, so they decided to give them up.”
She added that since around June last year, Trobany had been receiving daily calls from people who no longer wanted their pets, but in the past such inquiries were recorded only once every two or three days.
“Many people adopt pets impulsively,” said a Trobunny spokesperson. “They think it’s cute and it’s convenient to buy animals.
“But they often don’t realize that each animal has unique characteristics and special care needs.
“Eventually, you may realize that you lack the ability to properly care for your pet.”
She added that because rabbits need to constantly eat, they poop a lot and their living spaces need to be cleaned regularly.
The spokesperson said veterinary fees can also be relatively high and prospective owners should understand and prepare for potential problems before adopting a rabbit.
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Shirley Tong Gaing, president of the Hong Kong Rabbit Association, said that apart from the surge in rabbit ownership during the year, the increase in the number of abandoned animals could also be due to an increase in pet purchases. Ta. The new coronavirus pandemic from 2020 to 2022.
“Many people thought the rabbits were cute and bought them for their children,” Tong said. “Some adults who have had to work from home during the pandemic are buying rabbits to kill time.
“But they could have kept the animals for a short period of time and then come up with the idea of abandoning them quickly.”
Mr Tong added that as the city returned to normal life last year and people returned to commuting and working in offices, some owners said they “didn't have time to take care of it”.
She said the society has already reached its cap of 100 rabbits and has 30 left on its waiting list, which could last a year.
The story was similar for other animal protection groups.
The Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it had adopted 45 rabbits from early February 2023 to February 9 this year, but could not immediately reveal the number before then.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 24 rabbits were surrendered to their owners last year, a sharp increase from six in 2022 and four in 2021.
