Abandoned guinea pigs survive for two weeks under decking before being rescued by RSPCA

The RSPCA was called after a member of the public spotted the guinea pigs in the areas around Cornwell Close in Rotherham.The caller believed they had been in the area for around two weeks, and had been sheltering underneath the decking where it was dry and warm.

Inspector Sandra Dransfield attended on October 15 to try and catch the pair, but couldn't find them until she was just about to leave, when one of the pigs appeared at her feet.

However catching them proved tricker than she thought, as the guinea pigs would dash off underneath the decking whenever she tried to catch them.

Sandra said: "We’d been looking for them for ages and it was just typical that they would appear when we weren’t ready, with no cage or equipment in hand. As soon as I tried to pick him up the elusive guinea pig ran off under the decking again.

“I returned again the next day and this time we blocked off the decking with the kind help of the caller and her daughter. The piggies were now in a nearby dense bush which was difficult to see inside. We were fooled by a child’s toy that had been thrown into the bush and I grabbed it before quickly realising it definitely was not a guinea pig.

“Finally, we managed to catch the first guinea pig and put him in a cage whilst we searched for the second. It took over three hours before both pigs were safely in our care. The weather was turning much colder and I was concerned that the temperature would plummet and they wouldn’t survive the night so I was so pleased that we managed to catch them when we did.”

The two pigs were healthy but a little underweight, and after being fostered by another RSPCA inspector for a couple of nights, they have now been transferred to the RSPCA centre in Derby to be looked after.

Sandra added: “These guinea pigs were so lucky that they managed to get by on their own as long as they have and in my experience this is fairly rare.

"Sadly, it could have easily been a different story. We know that people’s circumstances can change which may mean they can no longer care for their pets but there is never an excuse to abandon them like this.

"We would always urge anyone who is struggling to please reach out for help, approach friends and family, or contact a charity like ourselves. Please do not dump your pets.”

Anyone with information about the guinea pigs is asked to contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.