Police investigate person accused of abusing small animals and posting their mistreatment online

Police have launched an investigation into a person accused of abusing small animals, such as hamsters and guinea pigs, and posting videos and pictures of their mistreatment online.

A person handles a hamster at the 2025 K-Reptile Fair at the aT Center in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Feb. 2. [NEWS1]

Police have launched an investigation into a person accused of abusing small animals, such as hamsters and guinea pigs, and posting videos and pictures of their mistreatment online.

The Seoul Seongdong Police Precinct received a criminal complaint on Dec. 9 from the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA), calling for the individual to be prosecuted for violating the Animal Protection Act, according to Yonhap News Agency on Monday.

Police will begin investigating the suspect after questioning the complainant.

The individual allegedly kept multiple small animals — such as hamsters, guinea pigs, pygmy squirrels and Mongolian gerbils — in cramped cages for several months, despite knowing the risks of the animals injuring themselves or others or even dying due to forced cohabitation. Hamsters in particular are known to exhibit territorial and aggressive behavior that can lead to physical attacks or cannibalism.

When the animals displayed signs of extreme stress, the suspect struck them and referred to the act as “discipline.” In one case, they reportedly knocked an animal unconscious by flicking its head. They also forced water onto species that should not come into contact with it.

A police logo [YONHAP]

The individual documented the abuse by sharing photos and videos of bleeding or collapsed animals on online platforms including Naver Cafe and livestreaming the scenes on social media platforms. Public attention intensified as viewers criticized the behavior and warned of the consequences of such forced cohabitation.

In response to one comment, the suspect wrote, “I already sent a hamster to the afterlife,” and posted a photo of a trash bag, referring to it as a “grave.”

The image shows comments on a Naver Cafe post written by an individual accused of abusing small animals. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

More than 2,000 people submitted petitions to police by Wednesday, urging authorities to carry out a thorough investigation and impose strong legal consequences.

“At least four animals appear to have died since March, and that one hamster remains in critical condition with severe head injuries,” said a person who reported the case to the KAWA. “This is intentional, deliberate behavior that shows disregard for life. The individual repeatedly made violent comments, saying things like ‘I’ll kill the guinea pig and eat it as a side dish.’ That’s why I decided to report it.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JEONG JAE-HONG [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]