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Amy and Lucy say " Thanks for showing us how beautiful life can really be "

Photos on left taken before treatment. Photos on right taken after treatment

The guinea pigs in this particular case suffered horrendous amounts of pain both physically and emotionally with 3 of the guinea pigs suffering psychologically for life and 2 having to remain at the sanctuary for life. This is their story. A store of survival and hope.

January 2006 a family call wanting to privately surrender their guinea pigs to the sanctuary. After having called the RSPCA first they were referred onto us. The story goes that approximately one year before, the family ( two boys under 7, mum and dad ) aquired guinea pigs from the local pet shop. The guinea pigs were bought to give the children the experience of babies. Within less than a year the original sow had 3 litters and the offspring then littered and so on. The original guinea pigs passed away and the family had been giving away and babies from the current guinea pigs. The family took the remaining 7 guinea pigs back to the local pet shop but the pet shop would not take them because of " a few sores on them ". The family then rung the RSPCA who put them onto us. When ACS was contacted we were told that the boys had lost interest and that the family did not want to and couldn't afford any vet bills. We were also told that most of the guinea pigs were in fine health and didn't have mites.

When the guinea pigs arrived at the sanctuary to our complete shock they were all suffering severe mange which had been left untreated for a long time going on the severe state of the guinea pigs. The 7 consisted of an adult boar and sow, 2 juvenile sows and 2 babies a boar and a sow. The family brought the guinea pigs cage along for us to keep ( which was thrown away soon after ). The cage that all 7 guinea pigs were living in was a measly 40cm x 85cm in size made of timber with a wire bottom. We were told the guinea pigs had destroyed the yard and it was now dirt ( what did they expect? )The entire time the family was at the shelter the two boys were running around and very hyperactive. They were hitting all the cages and kept on picking up their own guinea pigs very roughly. Their was no parental guidance or supervision at all as the children ran riot. When the guinea pigs first came into the shelter some were not expected to live and some were having seizures from the severe mite infestation. The guinea pigs could not be touched and would let out shrilling squeals from the pain. All 7 were severely malnourished, filthy, had dry scaly skin and were underweight most weighing under 300grams.

The 7 guinea pigs over the next few months were treated for the mites and malnourishment and miraculously all 7 survived. Hana the adult sow came in with the two babies and was found to be pregnant again. She thankfully was able to litter her two baby sows who were adopted out through the sanctuary. Mr Tumnus was adopted to a very special family and home on acreage and a farm along with two other adoptables from the sanctuary. Hana was adopted interstate to a friend of the sanctuary also residing on an acreage property although housed indoors. The two babies Holly and Sebastian were adopted locally Holly went to a home with one other sow and Sebastian to a home with one other boar. Amy and Lucy were the two worst effected psychologically and physically and still suffer psychologically. Even after months of treatment the two sows cannot be handled without squealing or panting due to fear of being hurt by humans and as a result the two will reside here at the sanctuary for life. Caspian was also affected psychologically and was suffering the same effects although is slowly gaining trust in humans again at his new home on the sunshine coast in Queensland with two male piggy friends. He is being loved dearly at his new home.

The case was reported to the RSPCA. It was investigated by an inspector who dropped the case. This was an enormous disappointment and we are still puzzled as to how such a case could be dropped.

This particular case was an unbelievable example of almost everything that one could do wrong by their pet.

1: Buying from a pet shop 2: Cage overcrowding and purchasing a very small cage 3: Cage with a wire bottom 4: Constant uncontrolled breeding and giving the babies away 5: Denying the animal medical treatment and care 6: Buying the guinea pigs for the children only 7: Children left unsupervised/ handling their guinea pigs roughly and like toys 8: Not feeding correct diet 9: Getting rid of the guinea pigs due to children growing out of them. 10: Not being able to afford a pet or considering costs of a pet long-term 11: Placing very little to no value on the animal 12: DENIAL of all of the above.