A waitress serves pizza at a restaurant in Moscow
IN PHOTO: A waitress serves pizza at a restaurant in Moscow, September 10, 2014. Facing a ban on Italian parmesan cheese, chefs in Moscow have discovered a new source for fine Parmigiano-Reggiano: Belarus. No sooner had Moscow banned dairy, meat, vegetables and fruit from most Western countries in response to sanctions over Ukraine, than Belarus, a former Soviet republic better known for black bread and potato pancakes, became a "producer" of top-quality cheese. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev

Pizza Hut Australia has apologised for the appalling promotion campaign of one of its branches. The Mount Waverley branch in Melbourne offered a “free small animal” if customers bought 10 large pizzas.

“Buy any 10 large pizzas and get one free small animal from Pets Story between 1st September to 31st December 2014,” the sign that has circulated online reads. It includes an image of a hamster, leading customers to think that the free small animal that it was giving away like toys was a hamster.

The signage has prompted outraged from customers and online commenters, who said that branch was treating small animals like cheap, giveaway toys.

Non-profit animal rights group Oscar’s Law has gotten involved, and asked the branch to stop the promotion. The branch agreed, admitting that it was a bad idea.

But while it appears that the Mt Waverley Victoria branch owned up to the mistake, Pets Story allegedly blamed the distasteful promotion to incorrect printing.

Shane, an employee of the pet shop, said that the sign was supposed to read “free small animal kit.” The shop never intended to give away any animal.

“When we realised it was missing the words ‘small animal kit,’ that is when s--- hit the fan,” he said, explaining that the sign were hastily put up without being proofread.

Pizza Hut Australia, meanwhile, has distanced itself from the Mount Waverley branch’s promotion, saying the company had no idea about the rogue store’s campaign.

“It has come to our attention that one of our stores have [sic] recently been running a promotion which was not approved by Pizza Hut Australia, nor was condoned in any circumstances. We would like to sincerely apologise to anyone who was offended by this,” the company said in a statement.

“The poster has since been taken down and all those involved have been made aware of the severity and inappropriateness of the promotion. We would like to thank Oscar’s Law and all those who have brought this to our attention this evening.”