{"id":5601,"date":"2022-04-18T06:32:31","date_gmt":"2022-04-18T06:32:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/"},"modified":"2022-04-19T09:54:36","modified_gmt":"2022-04-19T09:54:36","slug":"can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you give a hamster to PetSmart?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy counter-decimal ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Can_you_give_a_hamster_to_PetSmart\" title=\"Can you give a hamster to PetSmart?\">Can you give a hamster to PetSmart?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Where_can_I_release_my_hamster\" title=\"Where can I release my hamster?\">Where can I release my hamster?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Can_I_give_a_hamster_to_Petco\" title=\"Can I give a hamster to Petco?\">Can I give a hamster to Petco?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Can_you_release_hamsters_in_the_wild\" title=\"Can you release hamsters in the wild?\">Can you release hamsters in the wild?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Will_PetSmart_take_a_hamster\" title=\"Will PetSmart take a hamster?\">Will PetSmart take a hamster?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#What_can_I_do_with_unwanted_hamsters\" title=\"What can I do with unwanted hamsters?\">What can I do with unwanted hamsters?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#What_happens_to_hamsters_returned_to_PetSmart\" title=\"What happens to hamsters returned to PetSmart?\">What happens to hamsters returned to PetSmart?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Where_can_I_take_my_hamster_if_I_dont_want_it\" title=\"Where can I take my hamster if I don&#8217;t want it?\">Where can I take my hamster if I don&#8217;t want it?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Is_it_illegal_to_release_a_hamster\" title=\"Is it illegal to release a hamster?\">Is it illegal to release a hamster?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Is_it_okay_to_release_hamster_to_the_wild\" title=\"Is it okay to release hamster to the wild?\">Is it okay to release hamster to the wild?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#What_would_happen_if_I_let_my_hamster_free\" title=\"What would happen if I let my hamster free?\">What would happen if I let my hamster free?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Can_you_give_hamsters_to_Petco\" title=\"Can you give hamsters to Petco?\">Can you give hamsters to Petco?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Will_Petco_take_back_hamster\" title=\"Will Petco take back hamster?\">Will Petco take back hamster?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Will_PetSmart_take_my_hamster\" title=\"Will PetSmart take my hamster?\">Will PetSmart take my hamster?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#What_to_do_with_a_hamster_you_cant_keep\" title=\"What to do with a hamster you can&#8217;t keep?\">What to do with a hamster you can&#8217;t keep?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Should_I_release_my_hamster_to_nature\" title=\"Should I release my hamster to nature?\">Should I release my hamster to nature?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#What_do_you_do_with_an_unwanted_hamster\" title=\"What do you do with an unwanted hamster?\">What do you do with an unwanted hamster?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Can_I_let_my_hamster_free\" title=\"Can I let my hamster free?\">Can I let my hamster free?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Does_Petco_take_unwanted_hamsters\" title=\"Does Petco take unwanted hamsters?\">Does Petco take unwanted hamsters?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Can_I_throw_away_my_hamster\" title=\"Can I throw away my hamster?\">Can I throw away my hamster?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#What_does_PetSmart_do_with_returned_hamsters\" title=\"What does PetSmart do with returned hamsters?\">What does PetSmart do with returned hamsters?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Do_PetSmart_take_hamsters_back\" title=\"Do PetSmart take hamsters back?\">Do PetSmart take hamsters back?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#WHAT_DOES_PetCo_do_with_returned_hamsters\" title=\"WHAT DOES PetCo do with returned hamsters?\">WHAT DOES PetCo do with returned hamsters?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/can-you-give-a-hamster-to-petsmart\/#Does_PetSmart_kill_hamsters\" title=\"Does PetSmart kill hamsters?\">Does PetSmart kill hamsters?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_give_a_hamster_to_PetSmart\"><\/span>Can you give a hamster to PetSmart?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Domestic dogs and cats. Birds. Small animals and reptiles <b>sold at PetSmart (including, guinea pigs, hamsters, chinchillas, gerbils, mice, rats, certain geckos, bearded dragons, specific types of snakes, specific types of frogs, certain types of birds) Other non-venomous reptiles.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_can_I_release_my_hamster\"><\/span>Where can I release my hamster?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Many animal shelters help in situations like yours by accepting small animals call first or check out their acceptance guidelines on the agency&#8217;s website. There are several hamster and small animal rescue groups that can assist you, as well. Do an online search using <b>hamster rescue to find these.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_give_a_hamster_to_Petco\"><\/span>Can I give a hamster to Petco?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>At Petco we offer a variety of small animals including chinchillas, ferrets, guinea pigs, rats and mice, and multiple species of hamsters. The right small animal for you depends on the level of care you can provide and the type of companionship you desire.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_release_hamsters_in_the_wild\"><\/span>Can you release hamsters in the wild?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>You should never release a hamster outside. Since your hamster is a domesticated animal, it lacks the survival instinct to feed and care for itself. It will die. You won&#8217;t be releasing him into the wild &#8211; you&#8217;ll be sending the little critter out to certain death.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_PetSmart_take_a_hamster\"><\/span>Will PetSmart take a hamster?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Yes. If you&#8217;ve ever walked around a PetSmart store you know they sell critters like snakes, iguanas, mice, rats, hamsters, and other cool creatures.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_can_I_do_with_unwanted_hamsters\"><\/span>What can I do with unwanted hamsters?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>At Petco we offer a variety of small animals including chinchillas, ferrets, guinea pigs, rats and mice, and multiple species of hamsters. The right small animal for you depends on the level of care you can provide and the type of companionship you desire.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happens_to_hamsters_returned_to_PetSmart\"><\/span>What happens to hamsters returned to PetSmart?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Contact Shelters and Pet Rescues<\/b> Call around and find out if you have an animal shelter or pet rescue facility in your area that will either take your hamster or help you network with other animal lovers to find the right new home for him.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_can_I_take_my_hamster_if_I_dont_want_it\"><\/span>Where can I take my hamster if I don&#8217;t want it?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Call a local animal shelter and ask if they take small pets. If not, they should be able to tell you of ones that can. Just giving an animal to someone you know is not a good idea unless you know that person already has those sorts of animals and how to care for them.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_it_illegal_to_release_a_hamster\"><\/span>Is it illegal to release a hamster?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Releasing hamsters into the wild is likely illegal, as well. Animal cruelty laws protect pets from such treatment. Environmental laws protect native plant and animal species from the threat posed by the release of nonnative species. There are several hamster and small animal rescue groups that can assist you, as well.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_it_okay_to_release_hamster_to_the_wild\"><\/span>Is it okay to release hamster to the wild?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>You should never release a hamster outside. Since your hamster is a domesticated animal, it lacks the survival instinct to feed and care for itself. It will die. You won&#8217;t be releasing him into the wild &#8211; you&#8217;ll be sending the little critter out to certain death.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_would_happen_if_I_let_my_hamster_free\"><\/span>What would happen if I let my hamster free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Absolutely not! A hamster is not able to survive in the wild. If you do release it, <b>it&#8217;s going either starve, get terribly injured, or get eaten by a predator. The problem could be that the cage is too small.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_give_hamsters_to_Petco\"><\/span>Can you give hamsters to Petco?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>At Petco we offer a variety of small animals including chinchillas, ferrets, guinea pigs, rats and mice, and <b>multiple species of hamsters. The right small animal for you depends on the level of care you can provide and the type of companionship you desire.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_Petco_take_back_hamster\"><\/span>Will Petco take back hamster?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Purchase animals have a 30 day guarantee (except saltwater) with your receipt and signed paperwork. If past that 30 says your animal can be surrendered and depending on space will take in. <b>They don&#8217;t take returns. Petco sells off-brand products with name brand labels slapped on them as a scam for your money.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_PetSmart_take_my_hamster\"><\/span>Will PetSmart take my hamster?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Can I Return Live Animals? Yes. <b>If you&#8217;ve ever walked around a PetSmart store you know they sell critters like snakes, iguanas, mice, rats, hamsters, and other cool creatures.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_do_with_a_hamster_you_cant_keep\"><\/span>What to do with a hamster you can&#8217;t keep?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Call a local animal shelter and ask if they take small pets. If not, they should be able to tell you of ones that can. Just giving an animal to someone you know is not a good idea unless you know that person already has those sorts of animals and how to care for them.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_I_release_my_hamster_to_nature\"><\/span>Should I release my hamster to nature?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Absolutely not! A hamster is not able to survive in the wild. If you do release it, it&#8217;s going either starve, get terribly injured, or get eaten by a predator. The problem could be that the cage is too small.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_you_do_with_an_unwanted_hamster\"><\/span>What do you do with an unwanted hamster?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Contact Shelters and Pet Rescues<\/b> Call around and find out if you have an animal shelter or pet rescue facility in your area that will either take your hamster or help you network with other animal lovers to find the right new home for him.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_let_my_hamster_free\"><\/span>Can I let my hamster free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There is also a higher possibility of them getting stuck in gaps such as in between cupboards, or underneath furniture. However, <b>as long as your hamster is easy to handle, or your room is hamster-proofed, it is okay to let your hamsters free roam regardless of species<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_Petco_take_unwanted_hamsters\"><\/span>Does Petco take unwanted hamsters?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Can I Return Live Animals? Yes. <b>If you&#8217;ve ever walked around a PetSmart store you know they sell critters like snakes, iguanas, mice, rats, hamsters, and other cool creatures.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_throw_away_my_hamster\"><\/span>Can I throw away my hamster?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Bury the hamster in an out-of-the-way plot, at least three feet deep, to ensure that it won&#8217;t be unearthed by other animals. Alternatively, <b>dispose of the hamster in the garbage. Be sure your local zoning laws allow this type of burial.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_does_PetSmart_do_with_returned_hamsters\"><\/span>What does PetSmart do with returned hamsters?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Usually though as long as it&#8217;s within their return policy period and the animal hasn&#8217;t been physically maimed they will <b>trade the pet out with you. They will also usually let you handle the hamsters before you take one if they have an open play area in their store.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_PetSmart_take_hamsters_back\"><\/span>Do PetSmart take hamsters back?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Can I Return Live Animals? Yes. If you&#8217;ve ever walked around a PetSmart store you know they sell critters like snakes, iguanas, mice, rats, hamsters, and other cool creatures. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to return one of these animals <b>you have 14 days from date of purchase to do so<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WHAT_DOES_PetCo_do_with_returned_hamsters\"><\/span>WHAT DOES PetCo do with returned hamsters?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Petco and Petsmart have relationships with local shelters and rescues (generally for cats, dogs and sometimes small pets like rabbits); if a pet is returned to the store, <b>it will be sent back to the originating organization, which will determine the next best avenue to get the pet adopted.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_PetSmart_kill_hamsters\"><\/span>Does PetSmart kill hamsters?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>PetSmart sold vulnerable hamsters to someone who tortured and killed them, and that&#8217;s really no surprise, because the chain sells animals to anyone who can pay. Today, we fired off a letter to PetSmart CEO J.K. Symancyk, requesting his immediate attention and action.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Table of Contents Can you give a hamster to PetSmart?Where can I release my hamster?Can I give a hamster to Petco?Can you release hamsters in the wild?Will PetSmart take a hamster?What can I do with unwanted hamsters?What happens to hamsters returned to PetSmart?Where can I take my hamster if I don&#8217;t want it?Is it illegal&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[619],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-animal"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5601"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5601"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67128,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5601\/revisions\/67128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}