How can people not care for their animals?

[Sweetdreamsbeautifulnightmare]

We have a new neighbour who moved in a few months ago who has a guinea pig. I get on well with the neighbour and we have socialised. However, she doesn’t look after the guinea pig. I can see it from my garden and it’s never fed nor cleaned out. I’ve hinted at it and she says she doesn’t care about it 😔 she’s basically waiting for it to die! I offered to look after it myself and she skirted around it.

I said again how we would love a guinea pig shall we take it for you and she just kind of ignored me!

However, over the last two weeks it hasn’t been cleaned out and I hear it squealing. When I know she’s gone out to work (she works in a care home and leaves the same time every day) I sneak in and feed it! However I only give it greens and veggies etc.

I’ve now noticed its food bowl of pellets is empty and it has no hay at all either and hasn’t for days. I then went and got some hay and food and have been sneaking that in too! I feel so sorry for it as I’d give it a lovely home and let it run on the grass etc.. this one never comes out at all.

I don’t know what else I can do though? I know he has some annual leave soon so won’t be leaving at the same time for me to sneak in the garden! What would you do?! I genuinely feel so upset for the poor baby!

They shouldn’t be on their own either.

But tale as old as time isn’t it- kid wants a pet, family get an ‘easy’ pet, it’s anything but, and they just sort of compartmentalise a part of their brain into thinking it’s basically just an object that they don’t have to emotionally invest in.

I used to foster rescue rabbits and saw it so much, outwardly decent people that thought nothing of confining a rabbit to a tiny filthy hutch, on its own, like it had no needs or feelings. Especially if it was outside in a garden or somewhere they didn’t need to look at it.

Have you reported this to the RSPCA , or SSPCA , or whatever animal cruelty organisation operates where you live OP?

In my experience the RSPCA would do absolutely nothing in this situation.

That’s awful. This time of year Guinea pigs are at risk of fly strike if they aren’t cleaned out. Maggots will literally eat it alive. Guinea pigs also need company and to be put out in a run for exercise. Leaving it in a hutch is incredibly cruel. I would keep on asking about it.

I would honestly just take it and make it look like a fox got at it.

I think there was another that died hence it being on its own. I know the RSPCA will do nothing and she will know it could only be me who reported it!

I honestly have guinea pig dreams where I have forgotten we have one and it’s died on hunger or dehydration!

I sometimes see her walk past it to go to her garage at the end of the garden and it squeaks and she just ignores it. It’s made me really dislike her!

Really? I thought the RSPCA were very pro active in dealing with animal cruelty and neglect. And at the very least they woukd visit this woman to give advice and monitor the situation.
OP should at least notify them rather let this poor animal suffer.

They will. Even more so if you have photographic evidence.

Kidnap it and take it to a local rescue. Poor thing.

Very proactive on the TV adverts and when they canvas for donations, yes.

I debated that! She has a son though who comes over to ours sometimes and I worry he’d see it in our garden!

I think it's actually shameful that you are trying to discourage OP, and other people, from reporting animal neglect and cruelty

Is there a Guinea pig rescue near you? Maybe you can take it to a rescue.

Buy some offal. Smear blood around the hutch and nick the guinea pig. As someone said previously a fox must have got the poor thing.
All animals deserve care and respect.

Absolutely not what I’m doing, and it’s worth remembering that the RSPCA aren’t the only animal welfare charity, even though they are the most well known. I doubt I’m the only poster on here that has had experience with them being absolutely useless in helping an animal in distress, though.

I'm sure they don't get things right every time. But it's got to be worth someone reporting neglect and cruelty if it's the animals only chance if survival. And your posts certainly read as though you are discouraging anyone reporting .
Fair enough if you know of another animal charity which would help thei poor guinea pig then of course supply OP with it's name.

I agree. I volunteer for the RSPCA and see first hand the amount of work they do, some of which no one should ever see nor any animal be subjected to the awful cruelty. As cases are dealt with on a case by case basis and priority given to the most serious, but be assured all reported incidents will be investigated and action taken.

People are evil. I was approached to accept a tarantula that was part of a neglected house of pets. I was warned that it was in very poor condition but nobody had the confidence to try interacting with it cause it’s a notoriously bitey species. I took it and when I opened the enclosure it confirmed that she was dead…she had starved to death. :(
She’s still in my freezer waiting for a dignified burial when the garden is done. Nobody cared about her in life, but I’ll give her a decent burial like I would any of my own. And people say ‘it’s just a spider’ but that’s a horrible thing to say. Her entire life was suffering and she didn’t deserve that. It makes me so angry!

I’m wondering how to word it in order to take the Guinea myself! I don’t want to call RSPCA as she will know and if they then don’t take it away.. that would be worse!

Like I said, I do have personal experience in dealing with them but a quick google would tell you that it’s not a niche viewpoint to think they’re ineffective in a lot of cases.

I've recently reported a family for basically being utter crap rabbit owners..
Don't want to say too much but rspca will be attending the house soon.

Yabu not to at least try.
Or offer her £50 for the piggy and cage..
Sometimes money talks.

Maybe get your own guinea pig and then say that it would be nice for it to have a companion as they usually live in pairs.

Do you think it’s non-animal people liking the “idea” of having a pet? I’ve seen a few friends getting a dog (which require hard work as well as a lot of love) & then off-loading them, as they simply haven’t got a connection with the animal. Why do they do it?

I’m not an animal person, I’d never get a pet.

The RSPCA are pretty spineless but they will act regarding no food, keep a picture diary and contact them

Agree. Leave the door open, swear the kids to secrecy and give the piggie the retirement he deserves.