A little hamster was abandoned in her cage outside a Tesco store.
Teddy, the Syrian hamster, was found by members of the public on Wednesday afternoon after she was left in her cage outside Tesco Express in Barrack Road, Newcastle.
RSPCA inspector Rowena Proctor, who went to collect the rodent, said: “She’s the sweetest little hamster I’ve ever met so I couldn’t resist taking a little selfie with her.
"She's a happy, friendly little thing.
"She's been well handled and has clearly been well looked after in the past.
"I wonder if she may have belonged to a student who had to return home and hasn’t been able to take her with them so have left her behind somewhere they knew she’d be easily found.
"This is an area that is very near to the university with lots of students living nearby.
"She’s a bit of an escape artist and tries to chew her way out of her cage. She's a lucky little hammy as she’s now gone to live with my manager and she’ll stay there if no-one comes forward to claim her."
Hamsters are often considered as ideal first pets or pets for children but they have complex needs and are a big responsibility as pets.
The RSPCA encourages anyone thinking of getting a pet to research that animal’s needs to ensure they can care for them for their entire lives.
More information about hamsters can be found on this website. To help the RSPCA continue to rescuing animals and investigating animal cruelty, people can make donations here.
