Taichung: The Taichung District Prosecutors Office has indicted a Thai woman for flushing 10 pet hamsters down a toilet following a breakup with her Taiwanese boyfriend.
According to Focus Taiwan, the woman, identified only as Promin, shared four video clips of the incident on Instagram on August 27. Prosecutors revealed that her ex-boyfriend alerted police at 1:50 a.m. on August 28, reporting that Promin refused to vacate his residence after their breakup.
Initially, authorities arrested Promin for overstaying her visa, leading to her detention at a National Immigration Agency center. Subsequent investigations confirmed her identity as the individual in the viral videos depicting the hamsters’ demise.
The prosecutors have requested a significant penalty due to the 27-year-old’s admission of the act, as evidenced in the videos, coupled with her evasiveness regarding her motives and lack of remorse. If convicted under the Animal Protection Act, Promin could face up to two years in prison and a fine ranging from NT$200,000 to NT$2 million (US$6,500 to US$65,000), with an additional year possible for filming and posting the incident online.
