Extreme Freerange! - August 14th 2009

On August 13th 2009 ACS Brisbane Shelter received a call from a concerned member of the public who stated to us that their was a bad case of guinea pig neglect in their neighborhood.

A couple with a history of severe animal neglect including dogs and cats and their own children who have been taken away due to unfit parenting, had sometime ago decided to let their guinea pigs roam free we are assuming as another form of 'can't be bothered 'irresponsible pet ownership.

The guinea pigs were said to be roaming through several neighboring properties regularly and the neighbours in a bid to help the animals survive, would feed them vegetables when they could if they came into their yards. The neighbors though had had enough after seeing many guinea pigs die from predator attack such including dogs and snakes and called ACS.

ACS quickly responded to the call and on August the 14th a team of four ACS Volunteers went to the scene to try to rescue all the guinea pigs.

On arriving at the scene it was obvious which home the animals came from. From a distance the street looked like a well kept middle to  upper class suburbian street just off a main road, but as we drove along the street their was one house amongst the rest that look like it was the local dump. Trash and bits and pieces all over the place and from the car we had already spotted a guinea pig on a lawn alongside the road.

The team set forth to hopefully catch the guinea pigs quite quickly but as free range situations often result, the guinea pigs were wild in nature and very quick to run. The ACS Team spent almost three hours trying to find and catch the guinea pigs. Jumping high fences, scrounging through bushes and in the end the best technique was quite literally diving to the ground while the guinea pigs would run by at extreme guinea pig speed.

The team found 8 guinea pigs all up across three different properties one sow heavily pregnant and one mum and baby hiding under a bush.

During the three hours ACS did see over the fence into the previous owners state of the yard via another neighbors property. What we saw when we reached over was piles of guinea pig poo and filth all over the place and we lifted a lid from a filthy cage and were appalled at what we found. Many small dead baby guinea pigs whom we assumed had starved to death were laying inside their 'cells'.

The entire case was very disturbing but ACS would like to make mention that this is not entirely uncommon and many cases similar remain silent all over Australia until someone speaks out on behalf of the suffering animals.

ACS is completely against those who choose to let their guinea pigs roam 'free range' in their backyards. The guinea pigs not only can fall prey to passing predators but are also more prone to health conditions, mites and becoming skittish and difficult to handle due to this sort of environment. ACS do not adopt out to any home who states they wish to let their guinea pigs roam their yard we see this as irresponsible pet ownership and in a way an easy way out for the owners to take proper care and responsibility for the wellbeing of these little pets who rely entirely on us as humans for every aspect of their safety and care. Monitored playtime on the lawn in a secure and safe environment on the other hand though can be quite benefitial to guinea pigs.

Pictured right: Rotting old cabbage laying on a table.

Below: Click on thumbnails to view larger images taken at the rescue. Please note some of these images are highly graphic and disturbing. Please view with caution. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YOU MUST HAVE PERMISSION FROM YOUR PARENT TO VIEW THE BELOW IMAGES.

Below: Photos of the female guinea pigs temporary new home back at the shelter.