New Zealand does not have hamsters. They aren't a native species here, and MAF is very careful about preventing plants and animals being imported if they might mess with the plants and animals that are already here.
At least one person has been sent to court for smuggling a hamster into the country (probably more, but I did not carry out an exhaustive search).MAF says this about importing pets from abroad:
"Importation is currently limited to dogs and cats from certain countries, rabbits from Australia and chinchillas from the United Kingdom."
Who would have imagined that British chinchillas enjoy special status where other chinchillas don't? Bizarre. And I am very sad that I can never have a pet hamster for as long as we live here. They are such cute little things and very interesting pets (although annoying when they make a racket late at night, or chew something they shouldn't), but we will have to content ourselves with just the chickens.
(As an aside, one day about a year ago when Skry was walking home from work, he helped a very drunk woman carry her chinchilla back to her house. It was covered in pink chalk dust. I am not making this up.)
2 comments:
Jenny - this might fill the Hamster void...
http://www.smallcritters.com/
My poor wee hammies... I would love to own one again, but I know that their nocturnal nature makes it rather awkward. Then again, they'd be a great defence against midnight raiders if they lived with the chickens! :D
Oh yes - thanks to a sneaky bit of app management I am back online for blogs! Wheeeeee!!! :D Now to see if I can't get SMTP unblocked...
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