‘Buy for a reason, not a season’

Lovable lot: Hamsters, seen at one of the pet shops in Kuala Lumpur, are predicted to be popular pets this year.

KUALA LUMPUR: With Chinese New Year this year corresponding with the zodiac animal of the rat, some pet shops have seen a spike in the sales of hamsters and chinchillas.

Cuties they may be, but animal welfare advocates are urging the public not to buy them as pets on impulse, only to abandon them later.