Leaving Their Guinea Pigs Alone For 2 Weeks

[Virgo]

I've just heard a story which absolutely horrified me, but no idea what to do about it and am looking for advice...

My mum told me that her friend has ended up looking after her neighbour's 2 guinea pigs for the next two weeks after only just catching them before they went away, and heard that they were planning on leaving them in their hutch/run in the garden with "enough food and water to last 2 weeks"... My mum's friend offered to look after them and they accepted. Apparently they didn't feel like they could ask her to look after them and/or didn't have anyone else to ask... So basically if my mum's friend hadn't caught them before they went away, they were quite happy to just leave their pigs to it for 2 weeks! Not sure how on earth they thought they could have even left enough food and water to last 2 weeks, let alone not cleaning them out for 2 weeks

I've said to my mum that they should be reported, but my mum says I can't because her friend is best friends with these neighbours and would cause all sorts of issues between them. And according to my mum's friend they seem to be well looked after otherwise and that the young son loves them etc... And my mum agrees that they do care about their pigs, they just thought they'd be fine for 2 weeks and it wasn't deliberately cruel or neglectful or anything

Clearly we would all disagree and I want to let someone know about this, but the dilemma is that it would be impossible to do it without the neighbours knowing that it was me/my mum/my mum's friend who reported them! My mum has basically saying "no you can't report them" and can't see how I can do anything I'm just so thankful that they are actually being looked after thanks to my mum's friend, but god knows what could have happened, and what happens the next time these people want to go away?

 

[Mother Hubbard]

Firstly, welcome to the forum.

I appreciate its a hard one, probably against my better judgement, you have no choice but to respect what your mum asks you not to do. If you do report them, yes they will know it's you, it's unlikely a case like this will have enough bearing to ban them from having animals in the future. Also, the reality is if they went away again, they certainly wouldn't allow anyone to look after them for fear of retribution.

Leaving guinea pigs alone for 2 weeks is abhorrent and thinking they would survive is ridiculous, I can't imagine how many water bottles they would need to string up to the hutch/cage. I'm sure the boy wouldn't have like that idea if he truly loved his guinea pigs.

 

[Virgo]

Hi MH, thanks

Yes, I suppose the only reassurance I can take away from this is that these people should hopefully now know they can ask their neighbour to look after the pigs whenever they go away in the future...

Apparently they feed them just hay and pellets, with no fresh veg at all.. My mum's friend is feeding them some (upon the advice of my mum) for these two weeks though, so perhaps we can hope the owners will keep that up when they come back.

I'd like to just write and post them a note with some helpful tips/suggestions about diet and things like guinea pigs not being able to fend for themselves for any length of time, but a.) I don't know where they live (and my mum won't tell me!) and b.) I fear even this would be viewed as confronting them about their pet care standards and they would respond negatively and as you say, they could end up being too afraid to ask my mum's friend to look after the pigs in the future...

It's just so frustrating to feel powerless to help

 

[Dana95]

Oh no...I cant imagine leaving my pigs for 2 days. And how on earth would they give them enough water? Two weeks old water? NO thanks. And what about vegetables/grass? This stuff just makes me mad and sad at the same time. I get your concern a that you want to report them, unfortunately there is nothing to report since they just planned to leave them and never really did it. Although someone should keep an eye on them.

 

[Swissgreys]

The only thing I can suggest is writing out a little card offering your services as a guinea pig sitter next time they go away.
Of course this depends on where they live and if it would be possible for you to get there on a daily basis, but you can always say how much you love guinea pigs and how you would love to look after them if they ever need you to.
You could give it to your Mum's friend to pass on, and she could say she mentioned to you that she was looking after these guinea pigs and you were very excited to hear all about them as you love guinea pigs so much, etc.
Just a thought.

 

[Virgo]

The only thing I can suggest is writing out a little card offering your services as a guinea pig sitter next time they go away.
Of course this depends on where they live and if it would be possible for you to get there on a daily basis, but you can always say how much you love guinea pigs and how you would love to look after them if they ever need you to.
You could give it to your Mum's friend to pass on, and she could say she mentioned to you that she was looking after these guinea pigs and you were very excited to hear all about them as you love guinea pigs so much, etc.
Just a thought.

That's a good idea about the card. Apparently my mum has actually asked her friend to mention to them that I'd be happy to look after their pigs if ever required

 

[sport_billy]

Agree with all above from posters.

Welcome to the forum by the way

 

[Pawz]

The only thing I can suggest is writing out a little card offering your services as a guinea pig sitter next time they go away.
Of course this depends on where they live and if it would be possible for you to get there on a daily basis, but you can always say how much you love guinea pigs and how you would love to look after them if they ever need you to.
You could give it to your Mum's friend to pass on, and she could say she mentioned to you that she was looking after these guinea pigs and you were very excited to hear all about them as you love guinea pigs so much, etc.
Just a thought.

Fantastic idea about the pig sitting card.

The situation is incredibly sad and I am glad your moms friend was able to offer help in time. What strikes me a rather sad is that they didn't feel they could ask anyone for help...not even their best friend who was willing to step in.
I am so glad a possible tragedy was avoided and in future at least they know they can ask you or their best friends to check in on them.