NFT hamsters project launched in Hong Kong amid public backlash over Covid-19 cull

  • An NFT project featuring 2,000 digital hamsters calls for people to ‘stand up’ to city’s Covid-19 culling of the animals
  • Project pledges to donate part of the proceeds to an animal charity, although some accuse the backers of profiting off the death of the pets

A hamster plays inside a cage before being dropped off for culling at the New Territories South Animal Management Centre in Hong Kong, January 19, 2022. Photo: AFP

A non-fungible token (NFT) project featuring 2,000 pixel art hamsters has been launched in Hong Kong, after the public hit out at a government decision to cull the animals over the possible risk of Covid-19 transmission to humans.

Earlier this week, Hong Kong authorities asked pet shops and owners to hand over about 2,000 hamsters for a mass cull and temporarily suspended imports of small animals, after 11 samples taken from hamsters in a local pet store came back positive for Covid. The shopkeeper and a customer were confirmed to be infected with the same Delta variant.

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