RSPCA centres are jam-packed after a rise in unwanted guinea pigs.
The animal charity is seeing a large rise in the numbers of guinea pigs who are being given up by their owners or cruelly abandoned.
Overbreeding of guinea pigs and the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis, as well as a lack of knowledge about the species by inexperienced owners, is hitting the small creatures hard - leaving RSPCA resources at breaking point.
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Dr Jane Tyson, the RSPCA’s small animals’ welfare expert, said: “Pet ownership rose significantly during the pandemic and people often think that guinea pigs will make good starter pets for their children.
“But, like other small animals, they actually have complex needs and they are not easy or cheap to care for well.
“Owners don't always correctly sex small animals either, so a pair can quickly spiral into double figures and beyond.”
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