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.