Hedgehogs are cute and all, but as a PSA to all interested in housing adorable balls made of spikes and fur, it is illegal to sell or keep them as pets in Singapore.
Despite the explicit prohibition, their charming attraction has resulted in a flourishing black market for the sale of pet hedgehogs — which in turn allows cruelty against these exotic creatures to thrive.
Case in point: five hedgehogs were found abandoned in a plastic tub at an HDB refuse collection area, and another one was released at the drain of a nature reserve. The latter critter — found by members of the Herpetological Society of Singapore — died from severely infected maggot wounds, according to the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).
“Abandonment is not only illegal, but also cruel, and irresponsible pet owners should never be complacent thinking someone else will come along and adopt them,” Acres wrote in a Facebook post.
Just earlier this year, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) fined a man $2,200 for keeping at least five hedgehogs and attempting to sell one online.
“Wild animals are not suitable pets as some may transmit zoonotic diseases to humans and can be a public safety risk if mishandled or if they escape into the dense urban environment,” AVA stressed about keeping exotic wildlife as pets.
Hedgehogs that are typically sold illegally in Singapore are of the African species and are in no way native to Southeast Asia.
Reader Interactions