The RSPCA is grappling with an enormous spike in guinea pigs being given up or “cruelly deserted”, because the cost of dwelling disaster and a lack of expertise concerning the widespread rodents stretch their sources to breaking level.
The charity is backing Guinea Pig Awareness week, which runs from 25 to 29 September, with this 12 months’s theme being ‘rescue and rehome’ – centered on discovering without end properties for the hundreds of guinea pigs at rescues throughout the UK.
The latest RSPCA figures present there was a 37% enhance within the numbers of guinea pigs taken in by its animal centres in the course of the first eight months of this 12 months, in comparison with the identical interval in 2022.
A complete of 237 guinea pigs got here into their care within the 12 months to August, almost as many as had been taken in throughout the entire of 2022.
But the charity fears a worrying pattern is rising, with final 12 months’s consumption of 253 marking a 77% rise on the earlier 12 months – alongside huge rises within the numbers of pet rats (193%) and mice (191%) handed in over the identical interval.
RSPCA small animals welfare skilled Dr Jane Tyson mentioned this comes after pet possession rose considerably in the course of the pandemic. “People typically assume that guinea pigs will make good starter pets for his or her youngsters,” she mentioned.
“But, like different small animals, they really have complicated wants and they aren’t simple or low-cost to look after effectively. Owners do not all the time appropriately intercourse small animals both, so a pair can rapidly spiral into double figures and past.”
Guinea pigs are sociable animals and house owners are suggested to maintain two or extra collectively, she mentioned.
But if women and men are blended, that may result in undesirable litters – and with moms capable of get pregnant once more inside hours of giving start, breeding can quickly get uncontrolled.
The RSPCA’s Sussex North and Brighton department not too long ago took in 45 guinea pigs and 38 rabbits, from an proprietor in Bognor Regis who grew to become overwhelmed after beginning with solely a handful of animals.
For Guinea Pig Awareness Week – which can be supported by Woodgreen Pets Charity, Blue Cross, and Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare – free, downloadable digital packs have been created for potential house owners, which can be found here.
It consists of recommendation on ensuring guinea pigs are stored in an acceptable surroundings, with sufficient area inside their properties to train and discover – plus loads of toys, tunnels, and hiding locations to permit their pure behaviours.
