Justin Bieber blasted by CA Hamster Association for giving pet to fan


Is it wrong that I find this story unintentionally hilarious? As background, Justin Bieber handed off his hamster, complete with cage, to a random fan outside his performance at the Jingle Ball in Atlanta last Wednesday. TMZ has some shaky video of the handoff along with details of how it happened. Justin tells a screaming girl “You gotta take care of PAC” and she promises “I will take care of him!!!” There was a follow up story a few days later, complete with a photo of the adorable 18 year-old girl looking thrilled beyond belief to be holding Justin’s hamster. The new owner told TMZ that she was taking good care of PAC and “vowed to treat the little guy like a tiny rodent king.” So that should be the end of this story, right? Not so fast – the California Hamster Association has some harsh words for Bieber. Am I the only one thinking that TMZ got pranked on this one?

Justin Bieber issued a DEATH SENTENCE to his pet hamster PAC when he gave it away to a screaming fan (who promised to love and cherish it forever) outside of a concert earlier this month … this according to the California Hamster Association (yes, there’s actually a California Hamster Association).

TMZ spoke to a rep for the group … who tells us Bieber committed an act of “animal cruelty” when he gifted away the animal … even if his intentions were good.

The CHA tells us … hamsters are fragile creatures that “often succumb quickly to illness and death,” especially when faced with “sudden environmental change.”

In short … “The moment that hamster was handed off to a screaming girl in a harsh, frenzied environment was likely the moment it gazed at the short path to its doom.”

DOOM!!!!!!

So what should Bieber have done instead? The CHA says if Justin no longer wanted the pet, he could have left it in the care of an animal shelter or rescue center … so they could’ve handed it off to a responsible new owner in a safer manner.

As for PAC, he’s currently alive and well in the care of Bieber’s 18-year-old super-fan Tori … who has vowed to treat the animal like a tiny rodent god.

[From TMZ]

I googled this California Hamster Association, and they have a budget website and actual upcoming events in which people show their hamsters in hamster competitions. This really happens and the organization seems legit. Maybe I’m biased because my kid has a gerbil and I don’t know much about the world of hamsters. I’m thinking that like a lot of pets, it’s better to hand them off to someone you know will care for them than to put them in a shelter where they may languish. My son’s gerbil is being cared for by family while we’re away. Does that make me a terrible gerbil mom for moving her cage to a new environment? In Bieber’s case, he was virtually guaranteed to find someone who would treat the hamster well. He chose among a group of fans waiting for him, but maybe he should have vetted them better to make sure PAC would be going to a good home.

As for the issue of whether you can actually put hamsters in shelters, you can and there are some shelters that keep them. A search on Petfinder under “small and furry” returns no hamsters within a 60 mile radius of me. I’ve only been to my local shelter a few times because it breaks my heart and I end up thinking about a special dog or cat for days afterwards, wondering if I did the right thing by leaving empty handed. They only have dogs and cats there. From what I’ve seen of other rural shelters, they just don’t have the resources to keep small furry pets.

I don’t know why I’m thinking so hard about this hamster adoption issue. The California Hamster Association just got more publicity then they’ve ever had before by hitching themselves to Bieber’s hamster handoff.

Oh, and I should probably mention that Bieber is rumored to be dating a Victoria’s Secret model named Barbara Palvin, aka Tinker Toy Girl. Palvin has denied it, though. It must not be serious enough for Bieber to ask her to watch his hamster. *snicker*

Conspiracy theory: Selena gave Justin the hamster and that’s why he gave it away.

Photo credit: Instagram and WENN.com

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54 Responses to “Justin Bieber blasted by CA Hamster Association for giving pet to fan”

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  1. caro says:

    PETA must be jealous not to react before!

  2. caro says:

    PETA must be jealous not to react before!
    ridiculous pants

  3. Kaye says:

    In the header pic he looks like a pouty five-year-old wearing his dad’s hat and sunglasses.

    • Alexandra Bananarama says:

      Ugh! I feel so awful having how arms:( I run marathons or halves with my husband,but feel terrible my body type in that photo it exposed

  4. marie says:

    ah hahahahaha, I’m sorry-it’s just funny. I didn’t realize hamsters had an association and competitions.. I was never allowed to own a hamster, my mom called ’em tiny rodents, plus I always had cats and dogs..

    • marie says:

      the association and competitions is what I find funny, not the fact that he gave away a pet BUT the girl will probably take way better care of the hamster than he could…

      and isn’t it a thing he does now? didn’t he auction off a snake too?

  5. Jules says:

    What a douche. Not because of the hamster. The hamster is lucky to have been given away. His hat is douche, his glasses are douche, but his pants scream diaper.

    • Masque says:

      “…his pants scream filled diaper”.

      Fixed. 🙂

    • pamspam says:

      This kid really is a dick. I don’t get how he can run around doing douchey things while trying to be so badass, yet his reputation remains mostly untarnished. Entitled, bratty, spoiled, obnoxious little twit with a face that begs to be smacked. Ugh. And now that I’ve put that negativity out there, I’m going to have to be extra super nice and positive for the rest of the day.

    • I love boobees says:

      The lucky hamster is now doing the hamster dance.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3G5IXn0K7A

  6. Cecada says:

    babies shouldn’t handle rodents

  7. Amelia says:

    For me, this story just confirms that Bieber is an immature, little git.
    If you’re too damn lazy/busy to take care of a hamster, don’t just randomly give it away on a whim! Make *sure* that it goes to a good home. Granted, he hit lucky with one of his superfans. But that just seems completely irresponsible IMO. This is not the way to treat animals, whatever your intentions.
    I was talking about this the other day to someone at work who’s response was “Who cares. It’s just a hamster. It’ll be dead in three years.”
    That doesn’t mean that it deserves to be passed around irresponsibly. I had hamsters as a kid and loved them to bits, and right now the 8 year old in me is fuming.

    • pamspam says:

      Nicely put, Amelia. It’s a very poor example and totally irresponsible.

    • Deb says:

      I agree. Even though this girl says she will care for it, Bieber doesn’t know if she is responsible or not. Will she take it to a vet if it gets sick? Vet bills for hamsters are just as costly as those for pets that live longer. I paid almost $2000 in visits, medicines, and surgery for my rat who I only had for two years. Unfortunately, many people see rodents as disposible. The mentality is that it’s no big deal if they get sick and die.

  8. Blondey says:

    So that’s what the baggy pants are about – he’s hiding a giant hamster wheel in them.

  9. Ellie66 says:

    The little guys better off (the Hamster). Now someone please get this boy a stylist and drag him away from MC Hammers leftover pants.

  10. I.want.shoes says:

    Hamsters, like any other animal, shouldn’t be handed out to strangers like autographed copies of your latest CD. No one would find it funny if he was handing out puppies and kittens.

  11. Trillian says:

    Can somebody please tell these kids how utterly stupid they look wearing their hats like this – in Germany we call them “hovering hats”, and that they are totally a douche-marker?

  12. Chrissie Malcolm says:

    I like hamsters, I cannot abide Bieber. What does the silly little tike look like in that hat? And what about the two “crotch” photos … the one where he’s grabbing it (clutching at your crotch doth not a rapper make, he looks like he’s got a bad itch) and the other where it’s hidden in a giant, grey, nappy/tent thing?! Can you imagine the adult Bieber? Will there ever really be an adult Bieber?

  13. Melly Bee says:

    Look at his ridiculous outfits! Behold the majesty that is know to all as Hammer Pants!

  14. Ruyana says:

    He totally looks like he pooped his pants.

  15. Sloane Wyatt says:

    In his munchkin hat and swaggy sunglasses, Bieber LOOKS like the rapping hamster in the Kia commercial!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGs3x26gJCs

  16. j.eyre says:

    Why did he bring the hamster to his concert?

  17. Erinn says:

    As a web designer..I wouldn’t even call that a budget website Lol. There needs to be a tier somewhere below that… 13 year old me literally made nicer sites than that.

  18. logan says:

    Every time I see this kid dressed up in his “gangsta” duds I think he looks like he has a costume on is getting ready to go trick or treating.

  19. Sweet Dee says:

    CHA CHA CHA HAMSTER FESTIVAL!

    lolsauce.

    But for real, you guys. I hope she did not lose her spot in line to take the hamster home.

  20. florencia says:

    dumb kid. poor animals, this people think they can do whatever they want. let’s see him when he turns 25 and everyone has forgotten about him, Or maybe even before.

  21. FirstTimer says:

    Can this douche just go away now?

  22. J Grey says:

    I honestly think that the hamster would be better taken care of by giving it to a fan than by leaving it in a shelter. I’m sure the fan would cherish it. What does that hamster association know anyway? Is it weird that I think the people in that association are sexual deviants who love their hamsters a little too much?

  23. Riana says:

    …California Hamster Association…

    LMAO. Nothing like a little free publicity I guess, what a story…

  24. Tazina says:

    Hamsters get far worse treatment by small children everyday. This is a non-story.

    Justin should stay away from baseball caps. It is not a good look for him.

  25. Apples says:

    LMFAO… dying right now.
    CA Hamster Association?!!!

    My life would be complete to see their membership photo.

  26. Jay says:

    Because being on tour is not a constantly jarring change of environment?

  27. ramona says:

    Those trousers. I just can’t. Who, on what substance, said, “Bro – those look DYNAMITE! You gotta wear these”? And on what substance was JB when he replied, “You’re right – these make me look TERRIFIC”?

    I need to know the circumstances that led to these trousers.

  28. KellyinSeattle says:

    Well, it’s better for the hamster because you know what Justin does with them (the unthinkable) 🙂 My best friend’s sister is a nurse and there are many stories of guys coming in w/ a hamster stuck in their asses; a light bulb,once, too! I know, too early without our coffee for that one…

    • Sweet Dee says:

      There was a Scrubs episode about that. They spent the entire episode trying to figure out how to remove the light bulb without it shattering and cutting up his colon.

      I nurse I used to work with told me she saw a crutch stopper…like the rubber thing on the bottom of crutches? Wayyyyy up in there. So yeah. Someone did it with crutches. Gross.

    • Beatriz says:

      What?!? They put hamsters up in there?!?! No way! I remember talking to a doctor once who worked in the ER and he told me the funniest stories about how guys would regularly come in with random stuff up their butt, but wouldn’t cop to it. Like, once a guy came in with an HUGE orange stuck up in there and he just kept saying “oh, I fell on an orange.” But seriously, hamsters?

  29. Jaqui says:

    Well, not that anybody cares, but he was in town for a concert and I saw him at a movie (Argo). He just stood there giving jerky orders to his assistant to get him stuff at the concession.

    It can’t be easy to be so darned famous — but he really is coming across as a dick in the past year or so. Dude needs to take a year or two off and try to live a normal, handerless life somewhere. Which might be impossible.

  30. Sarah Boo says:

    His pants look like my two year olds when her diaper gets really full with pee and she needs ti be changed. What?

  31. Sarah Boo says:

    His pants look like my two year olds when her diaper gets really full with pee and she needs to be changed. What?

  32. London says:

    It’s just a hamster, people =_=

  33. Shy says:

    Oh God, those pants again. My eyes! Is he promoting or selling them? Does he think that teenage boys will see him wearing it and will wear it too? He does not have boys fans. Only girls.

    Is this trend is USA? Do ordinary men from streets wear those ridiculous pants in public? It’s beyond me how Bieber can look at himself in the mirror and think that he looks O’k.

  34. Genevieve says:

    Lord knows I am a crazy animal lover. But I have a feeling this is now going to be a very well taken care of hamster. If Joe from New Kids on the Block had given me a hamster while I was screaming at him many years ago, I would have treated that thing like a king too.

  35. jwoolman says:

    The hamster lucked out, since obviously Bieber is too immature to be responsible for a pet but its new human companion seems nice. But the hamster organization was right to point out the risks of any sudden change in environment. They weren’t doing a PETA protest- TMZ asked them questions and they answered truthfully. There are organizations for every type of pet. This one obviously deals with shows, which always creeps me out (I was dragged to a few cat shows in my youth), but they all deal with useful info about the specific pet and provide a way for people interested in the animal to get in contact (especially online today). They also generally give advice about how to choose the right pet, when that particular animal is a bad choice for you, how to deal with stressful changes, health issues, general care and feeding and housing, etc. Believe me, if your little furry friend develops problems, you will be grateful when a little googling finds plenty of people who’ve dealt with it all before, especially when you don’t have a local vet who deals with your type of animal.

    I’ve run into quite a few websites on specific pet animals in the course of my work, since unfortunately I sometimes have to translate material on use of non-human non-volunteers in scientific research (which is bad science at so many levels, but the FDA requires it before testing human volunteers). Really, I’d rather hear from the hamster advocates than my scientific colleagues experimenting on the wee beasties. The experimental animals are doomed whether they survive the treatment or not and even if they are untreated controls… I had to translate pages and pages of rat and rabbit autopsies in a recent job, and it was so depressing. I really lose it when I run into such experimental abuse of cats… not in a couple of decades, thankfully. (Another translator who feels the same suggested that if we translate such things properly, maybe nobody will feel compelled to repeat the experiments. At least they’re heading toward human tissue experiments, which makes considerably more sense scientifically and morally.) But definitely when setting up a group of animals for such preclinical studies, they pay attention to minimizing the stress of rehousing and other changes. For example, the beasties are kept for a few weeks to acclimate (those who react badly are removed from the group) and the animal rooms have to be kept at certain temperature, humidity, and lighting conditions (light/dark cycle). The California organization was right to point out that hamsters are not little furry robots who can be handed over to a stranger on the street without risk. It can indeed affect their health and lifespan.

    • Brittney says:

      I come to this site partially for the commenters, and this thread has brought out the best in them… but you especially! I cannot fathom having to do your job, and I really feel for you; my high school thesis (weird IB school) was on alternatives to animal testing, My mom rescued dwarf hamsters when I was growing up, and you’re right; it’s amazing to have specialists nearby when your ill animal is as tiny as a shot glass. I have a house rabbit now whose back story and adorable mannerisms have made me a staunch advocate for better treatment of small pets like hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits. I totally agree that it was an ignorant thing to do, though I’m sure that fan really will treat the little guy like gold. People too often regard smaller creatures with far, FAR less care and compassion than cats or dogs, and it’s just not fair. They’re just as sentient.

      On a happier note, there’s an organization (blanking right now) that’s offering free human body simulation software to the first dozen schools to make an anti-vivisection pledge!

  36. Laura says:

    Hamster or not, it’s a living creature and he should have been more careful.
    This makes me wonder what happened to his pet snake (Johnson…HUGE eye roll).
    I am a snake lover…in addition to my cats I have a snake, Draco. She’s around 14. I’ve had her for 11 years, since I was 14 myself. She is my sweet beautiful princess, and I would never just pass her off to anyone, even though she’s had some health issues in the last few years. I did have a boa constrictor when I was 15 too, and I had to give her away because she got bigger than me and I couldn’t lift her…I picked a family fried who I knew was experienced with herps and would take good care of her but I still get guilt pangs when I think about it.
    Pets aren’t for birthdays or Christmas…pets are for life.