Concerns about piggies.

[ShadowsShadowsEverywhere]

If you knew someone who had 14 guinea pigs in the following circs would you be concerned enough to report?

So 13 piggies, several of those are from litters that have been bred based on random deciding that girl and that boy would make pretty baby piggies. Piggies are kept in 4 hutches, three of which have been made as a tower block of cages and several times piggies have fallen from the top cage when the door has been opened. Cages are fairly small considering piggies are rarely put out in runs, they are never out of their cages during the winter.

My main concerns however are re care. The owner will never take piggies to the vets as she feels it's too expensive. Several piggies have had litters with no vet care at any point. Several piggies have sustained injuries which were left untreated, one piggie lost an eye due to it being scratched, becoming infected and then "sort of drying up". That piggie is now blind in that eye. When a piggie becomes ill she will put it in a cardboard box in the garage/kitchen and just "let them slip away" which actually means several days of them slowly slowly suffering to death, usually unable to eat or drink and clearly in a lot of pain.

They do get fed, are cleaned out weekly, but they are not handled regularly, are out of cages rarely. She will clean the cages out with piggies still in the cage, so they literally don't come out apart from maybe 5/6 times during the summer. The long haired ones are bathed and trimmed in summer but not during winter.

I am concerned. And this person is generally not very nice, so I'm less inclined to think its ignorance, more likely deliberate "they aren't worth enough for me to spend more time/money on them". Wwyd.

[ShadowsShadowsEverywhere]

Bump

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Ooh, difficult to broach but look on the RSPCA website - they are breaching several rules/guidelines,

It is illegal to with-hold vetinary care to an ill animal (the 'letting them slip away' if they are seriously ill but not in pain is something I would do myself but only if I knew they were peaceful)

The hutches/accomodation guidelines (not legally enforced they are guides but if it could be proved they were suffering as a result it could be). Not going in a run, not being held or cuddled is detremental to their wellbeing but the RSPCA might argue they can survive without (but what quality of life is that ? )

Is she a breeder? What does she do with the guinea-pigs?
Are any of her guinea-pigs in-breeding or overbreeding? Maybe breeding too young?

I suppose your next step is how well do you know her. Would she listen to you? Or do you feel she'd only listen to an official.? If so, contact the RSPCA - they might help but from what I've heard they won't intervene if they have food and water.
But the lack of medical care is an issue. Good Luck.

Very and

(I have pigs that were part of a Rescue -they'd had litters. And a piglet Rescue who's breeder didn't like guineas.
So there is potential for them to be rescued and rehomed. Or even if they improve their care it would help.

[ShadowsShadowsEverywhere]

Thank you. It's my mother. We are no contact due to abuse. Sensing a theme?

The piggies she let's slip away are definitely in pain. The ones she breeds she keeps. They are usually bred to replace the ones that die. No inbreeding, breeding is usually when they are very young although the first one she bred was 4 I think which is far too old for first litter.

I don't think she would listen to me or an official tbh, but I was hoping they'd be able to do something as I know the piggies all deserve much better.

It's a bloody recurring theme with her. I've reported concerns re my young brother and her emotional abuse and concerns re her job - TA working 1-1 with children with LDs. But they can't/won't do anything because it's emotional abuse and so hard to prove. I will maybe give the RSPCA a call and see what they say. Thank you.

[guineapiglet]

Hi Shadows (and 70!)

You were brave to post about this, very sad to read about the concerns you have for humans and guineas, and sending you kind vibes.

I agree with everything 70 has written, no animal should die in distress or pain, it is quite shocking to read and worth alerting RSPCA about. Other than that I would be going to 'rescue' the guineas myself and taking them to a caring rescue place.....( wishes she could go and liberate these dear souls)