Justin Bieber's hamster dies after star gives him to fan

JUSTIN BIEBER'S pet hamster, Pac, has died three months after he handed the rodent to a female fan at a concert. Tori McClure, 18, who was given the Russian Dwarf hamster after a show in Atlanta, said Pac's health had gone downhill rapidly in recent days. The hamster's hair fell out and vets were unable to save him, reports The Sun.

Suspected causes of death include acute renal failure, a low-protein diet and the shock of being disowned by an A-list celebrity with 33 million followers on Twitter.

McClure tweeted that Pac has "gone to little hamster heaven" and had been buried in a section of the teenager's garden which is "very peaceful". McClure also sent a tweet to 19-year-old Bieber, which said: "He was OUR baby & @justinbieber I still can't thank u enough."

The news of Pac's demise sent Twitter into meltdown and the hashtag RIPac started trending. "Pac was and always will mean a lot more than just a hamster to beliebers," tweeted one fan.

There is unlikely to be much sympathy for Bieber at the California Hamster Association, however. The CHA accused the singer of "cruelty" when he gave away his pet in December and warned its health was likely to suffer as a result.

"[Hamsters] often succumb quickly to illness and death [when faced with] sudden environmental change," the group's spokesman told TMZ.com at the time. "The moment that hamster was handed off to a screaming girl in a harsh, frenzied environment was likely the moment it gazed at the short path to its doom."

Sadly, it now seems that Pac has scampered down that short path and entered the big Hamster Wheel in the sky.

Pac's death is another blow to Bieber who was widely criticised for starting his first show at London's 02 two hours late. The singer collapsed backstage at his third London gig after losing his breath and a show in Lisbon was cancelled this week, reportedly due to poor ticket sales. ·