DO I COMPLAIN ABOUT WHAT I REGARD AS NEGLECT...OR NOT?

[whispywhisp]

My neighbour has two guinea pigs living in a hutch in her garden. I am a guinea pig owner myself and hate to see any animal, especially guineas, being neglected. These two pigs are only about 6mths old. They're in a hutch which is, imo, too small. They rarely see the light of day due to a very soaked duvet cover being draped over their hutch - presumably to keep them warm/dry but considering the fact its soaked I hardly think it helps. About every 4 days the cover is lifted and then put back down again. Yesterday it was lifted and I noticed the pigs were both hanging off their water bottle and both hungrily eating from their bowl. I know that if the cover isn't lifted those pigs do not see a human hand. The neighbour rarely goes out into the garden unless it is to put her bin out and even then they get ignored.

I had to try and find an excuse to go into her garden today because I could see both the pigs were sat beside their empty bowl so I decided to put her wheelie bin back into her garden. I was horrified at what I saw...their hutch is a good two inches deep in soaked newspaper and absolutely littered with their waste. Their backsides are soaked and they looked so unhappy.

I gave the neighbour a bin liner full of lovely lush meadow hay only a couple of weeks ago and a big bag of food...she's a single Mum so I thought it'd help.

I went to her opened shed and found some hay which was wet thru (her shed roof leaks) but I put some in anyway and they demolished it. My DH re-felted her other shed roof so why on earth she leaves their food in a shed that leaks is beyond me. The garden is full with dog poo - she only picks the poo up when she cuts the grass - the grass is knee high and hasn't been cut since the Summer. The garden stinks. We have to sleep with our bedroom windows shut because it smells so bad.

So going back to the guineas...do I complain to the RSPCA or not? I don't want to fall out with her but surely this is neglect? She's just got two new kittens - to add to the two cats she already has - so I really don't think she gives a toss about the pigs. I'd gladly take them off her hands....but she'll probably say no....my DH has just said I shouldn't get involved but why doesn't she feed them? Laziness? Out of sight, out of mind? Makes me soooo angry.

Mine (I have 5) live indoors, they're cleaned out every other day, get given fresh hay and greens every day....these people should not have animals.

Vent over.

I've got a spare cage silver which I can put them in as a temporary measure. I'd love to have them - it'd make my day to see them in a warm cage with stacks of hay and food. They're so skittish whereas mine come up to my hand when I feed them - down to lack of handling I guess.

I've just looked over the fence (I can see them from our bedroom window too) and she's just JUST uncovered them and its already afternoon - they're eating some food from the bowl so I'm guessing the bowl was empty. The two that I have that share a cage need their bowl filling atleast once a day, sometimes twice.

Anyway I'm still going to keep a very close eye on them. Ideally they should be put in the shed over the Winter but she'd never open the door and there's too much rubbish up against the window so they'd never get any daylight.

She had two rabbits once. They were kept in a shed. That shed was one of those small ones - you can't get more than a lawnmower in it - anyway that shed would be in full sun, during the hottest part of the Summer and she'd not open the door. How they didn't roast I don't know. A couple of times I went round and just accidentally but deliberately opened the door. It was only held shut with a piece of wood so she'd never have known.

I get fed up with people like her. They shouldn't have pets. She has two kittens running around too - neither have had their vaccinations and are due to be spayed. She'll complain she can't afford it yet she can afford to go out clubbing/drinking and smokes continually.

Hi Whispywhisp - how are the piggies next door today? I'm worried that she will not give them enough bedding to keep warm at night. I agree she should not be allowed to keep pets they are a privilege not a right.

They are lucky that you are around to keep an eye on them x

Hi silver....yesterday they were covered over for the whole day - the same bag of rubbish is sat on top of the hutch that has now been there a week. Considering it was bin day today you'd have thought she'd have shoved that in the bin - shows how lazy she is.

Anyway today she has uncovered them - the same bag of rubbish is still sat there. She's not added to it so I'm guessing they've not been cleaned out for a week now. I did see she's put in some fresh hay which they were both quite happily munching on this morning.

It beggers belief, imo, that she puts fresh hay on clearly very wet and very dirty bedding if she's not cleaned them out for a week.....it takes minutes to shovel it all out. But then again if you saw the state of her house you'd see she doesn't even bother to keep her own property tidy.

Atleast they got some fresh hay today.

Are you going to report her to the RSPCA? I hope they will take all her animals away from her.

She is making these little gps suffer esp in this freezing weather. I can't see how they will be able to keep warm in wet bedding as it will freeze overnight. Poor little gps.

A bit of progress I guess...

Again last night she left them, uncovered, in their soaking wet and filthy hutch - she's not cleaned them out for over a week.

I looked out at about midnight and could see one of them sat up against the mesh of the door. The other one I guess was in the sleeping area. She has two big plastic igloos in there which were on their side so blocking them from freely walking around and getting together.

The weather here was biting cold...we've had snow overnight and the temp was well below freezing.

So again this morning I offered to have them. I told her, in a text, that I'm not having a go but I told her they won't survive this cold.

She has replied saying they belong to her 12yr old daughter and doesn't want to part with them because they are hers...which makes me soooo angry cos I never see that girl do anything with them - she'll walk up the garden and not even spare a glance towards the hutch. Bloody stupid excuse imo. She added she would get them put into her tiny and soaking wet/leaking shed tomorrow - a shed that she kept rabbits in a few years ago and they never saw daylight either cos she never opened the doors - a shed with no window on it and a roof that is like a sieve.

Anyway I have now offered to have them for the Winter and keep them in my heated shed which has windows and a light and I will take her filthy wet hutch - let it dry out first and then house them in it in the shed. I have offered to allow the 12yr old DD to come round and clean them out/feed them (which she's never done even in her own garden) and then they can have them back in the Spring/warmer weather. I have offered to bring them into my kitchen overnight if it gets too cold for them to be in a shed in my garden and also that I would supply all the necessary food/hay.

I can do no more than that. She knows I'm on her case and I won't let this drop.

Lucky those little gps have you looking out for them. Do you think she will let you put them in your shed?

Like you I'm worried about her putting them in her shed as they won't have much protection and you will not be able to see if they have adequate bedding, being cleaned and fed. She may be banking on that.

This is so tricky for you. A few years back I had to report a neighbour for cruelty to a cat. The RSPCA were great and took the cat away to be rehomed. The neighbour went around telling the whole street what I had done before I had a chance to tell my side of the story...

I don't know how we would exchange details but I'd be happy to report her if you want and then you can honestly say you didn't report her....

I'm sorry, but...........

She is clearly neglecting them & will continue to do so. She cannot or will not look after them properly.

You say that she has a bad track record with animals (the rabbits/kittens)

They are not hardy animals, they will not survive this winter, with your snow etc

You continually profess your love for GPs

Yet, you are continuing to 'watch' her & not actually doing anything proactive to help the poor little animals.

Report her, now. If you are that concerned!

You need to go and get them.

Sorry, I couldn't stand another night knowing these poor little things are out there suffering.

Will the rspca not come out? I'll ring them if you want it to be anonymous.

can you tell me the details - CAT me or something - I'll take the flack. Do you want my email address? I can post it if so.

if you ring the rspca they ask if you want a follow up phone call to know the outcome, so if you request that you will know if they have done anything about it.

the trouble is, now you have offered so many times to help./have them etc, she will probably guess it's you who has rung them?

does she have a daughter did you say?

the rspca has links with the nspcc, as people who mistreat animals - well how do you think they treat their children?

report her.

Reading the posts as the snow is coming down I think you do need to phone the RSPCA today. Could the police do anything? Sorry if that is an ignorant question.

You are really kind and have done everything you can short of reporting her. I think the RSPCA will come out or can you call a GP rescue place and they will contact the RSPCA. You will feel dreadful if they die. I'm worried about respiratory problems with sleeping on freezing bedding and them literally freezing to death tonight.

My three girls are indoor pigs lovely and warm and cosy too and I'd be happy to have these little GPs and give them a wonderful life.

Please ring them now as I'm not sure if they come out at weekends and Monday may be too late for the little pigs.

RESULT!!!

I now have two gorgeous albeit cold and thin male pigs in a lovely warm hay-laden cage next to the warm radiator in my kitchen!!!

She finally agreed to let me atleast Winter them for her...I had to wait for her to come home this morning before I could go and get them - she claimed she didn't have a basket to put them in for me to bring them round so I went round with one of mine, picked them up (they're very skittish) and they're now with me....I've told her I want her hutch too which she's happy with cos if I have it in my shed I'm hoping she'll forget she ever had pigs (empty hutch in her garden will be a reminder) and I will get it dry and warm before I put them out in my shed once this cold snap has gone. In the meantime they're staying in my kitchen, along with all my pigs, and will now enjoy a warm happy existance. My next task will be to get her to allow me to keep them permanently which we'll cross that bridge when it warmer weather comes...hopefully by then I will have persuaded her that keeping pigs really isn't a good idea and they're better off with me. Phew!

I've just read the latest posts on here. I was minutes away from making that phone call to the RSPCA. I know from having worked for them for many years that there would've been little they could've done. Providing there is trace of food/water they can't take them away. They'd have suggested she sign them over but if she refused that'll be it. End of.

I've got them now. I'm happy/relieved and soooo glad I don't have to keep looking over the fence/looking out our windows!

I will offer to keep them permanently as and when the time comes. But if she insists on having them back during the warmer months then that is fine but I will ensure I have them over the Winter.

..but if she does have them back she knows damn well I'm all eyes....and I have a mouth on me if I'm not happy!

Aaaaah christmas has come early for those little piggies, whispywhisp, I am so happy you have rescued them - well done!

what a relief.

i thought you only wanted them for a bit?

you obviously changed your mind.

and i agree the rspca are probably inundated and can't jump to all calls, they must have some sort of criteria.

Whoo -hoo!!!!!!

Well done, whispy!!!!!!!!!!!

You're a (Chistmas) star

Yea I'm a soft touch...yes I'd keep them....who wouldn't? I have the room and stacks of food/hay so no reason not to really but got to win their previous (current) owner over first!

Very very happy to hear this, well done, softly softly obv worked

Thankyou for doing this. I was so worried.

Thanks FA. All ok now. I was just saying to DH on the phone that I'm pleased but also incredibly relieved. They'll get loads of fuss from us...I'm just hoping they'll come out of their shells a bit more...they're such timid little things - they don't even squeak . I gave them a very small piece of a cabbage leaf earier on - I'm being careful not to give them too much veg cos they've never had it before...they just sat and stared at it for about an hour - have just checked them again and its gone. .

I'm going to try and buy another 2nd hand cage or hutch for them....to buy another cage new is very expensive so I'm going to look on ebay for a 2nd hand one. The cage their in (an old one I had) is fine but not really big enough long-term.

They seem ok physically altho lean. They've got filthy feet and their claws are full of dirt - guess thats due to them being in such a filthy hutch. Such a shame.

Anyway if anyone knows of a cage that I keep them in I'd be grateful for any info! Thank you.

well done whispy