For Stoevelaar, the frustration lies mainly in the years she has spent breeding the animal. She did that for years as a hobby and not to sell the hamsters. “26 years and that will be wiped out in one go.”
The animal could possibly make a return soon. Yet it remains exciting for a while. The government has thirteen weeks to re-examine the ban and make the Russian dwarf hamster legal again.
“It remains political, of course,” Stoevelaar responds. “But I have confidence. The judge’s decision is not binding, but you can’t just ignore it. So come on: put the animal on the list, because we can’t wait anymore.”
In addition to the Russian dwarf hamster, the government should also reconsider a ban on the dromedary, yak and chinchilla. All other animals banned from keeping as pets in 2024 will remain on that list.