UK: Distraught after theft of guinea pigs

**CavySpirit** · #1 05-08-07, 04:18 pm

http://www.midsussextoday.co.uk/mid-...icleid=2857705

**thalestral** · #2 05-09-07, 04:36 am

Oh, that is terrible :/ Yet another reason why keeping piggies outside is so risky, all natural reasons aside you can never trust another human being to be decent.

I couldn't bear the thought of my girls being stolen, I really feel for that poor woman

**muffin** · #3 05-12-07, 05:11 am

Ugh. Poor piggies. Poor woman. I can't believe someone would do that. To be targeted twice as well.

I wonder why they took them. It's such an extreme theft, they had to go to some effort and risk of being caught.

I would find it hard to keep my piggies outdoors. I'll probably have to one day when I'm able to open my rescue in a huge climate controlled outbuilding with attached outdor run areas for when I'm there. But it will be covered in burglar alarms and surrounded by high fences etc!

**FoolOnTheHill** · #4 05-12-07, 06:42 am

That's horrible! I wonder how they knew there was piggies there? And it must have been hard to scale a fence carrying pigs. Hopefully it might make people think again about keeping their pets outside.

Quote:

Originally Posted by muffin

I'll probably have to one day when I'm able to open my rescue in a huge climate controlled outbuilding with attached outdor run areas for when I'm there. But it will be covered in burglar alarms and surrounded by high fences etc!

Sounds cool

**Jennicat** · #5 05-12-07, 06:53 am

It really bugs me when people exaggerate in interviews in articles.

"They're like my children".

I don't know of anyone that puts their children in the back garden in a cage and leaves them outside all night.

I notice she's also "worried that the thieves will return", but doesn't mention making any moves to bring the remaining pig(s) inside so they can't be stolen.

**Percy's Mom** · #6 05-12-07, 10:25 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jennicat

I don't know of anyone that puts their children in the back garden in a cage and leaves them outside all night.

You don't? Just kidding. Seriously though, asking someone if they are willing to stay outside in the elements with the weather, bugs, and other predators is an argument I give frequently to people who tell me how much they love their animals, but think it's best that they live outside. And I can't count how many times I've seen that question posed to people on here and on GL.

**Jennicat** · #7 05-12-07, 10:30 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Percy's Mom

You don't? Just kidding. Seriously though, asking someone if they are willing to stay outside in the elements with the weather, bugs, and other predators is an argument I give frequently to people who tell me how much they love their animals, but think it's best that they live outside. And I can't count how many times I've seen that question posed to people on here and on GL.

Well, I know lots of parents who would probably like to... after all, sheds are very secure, and with plenty of hay, it doesn't get very cold.

**enchantingcavy** · #8 05-13-07, 07:01 am

hmm that's an interesting one...there's more of a chance it was predators e.g. cats or a hawk/bird...i mean why would they take some and leave others aswell as jumping the fence etc...maybe the lady should purchase a camera and leave it on the area that way if the person/s or predators come back she'll know exactly what she's dealing with.

Jess

**Piggersrule** · #9 05-13-07, 08:08 am

It does seem strange that a person(s) would go through that much trouble. I was thinking possibly a hawk or owl could be the the doing this. What gets me is that fact that she still kept them outside even though this has happened before. It sounds like she still has them outside.

**Jennicat** · #10 05-13-07, 08:16 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by enchantingcavy

hmm that's an interesting one...there's more of a chance it was predators e.g. cats or a hawk/bird...i mean why would they take some and leave others aswell as jumping the fence etc...maybe the lady should purchase a camera and leave it on the area that way if the person/s or predators come back she'll know exactly what she's dealing with.

Jess

If it is a predator, why would your purchase a camera just to watch your last pet being slaughtered? Why not just move them inside?

**seagirl96** · #11 05-14-07, 07:22 pm

It could be a predator, but I am also wondering about her statement that htere's no way they could get out. If the fence meets the ground as it looks like in the picture, a piggy could find a way. It doesn't take a lot of space for a piggy to sqeeze out. They should've been inside of course. The idea that people would scale the wall silently in the dark to steal piggies is odd. My piggies would make enough noise to wake me up.

**muffin** · #12 05-16-07, 02:41 pm

On second view, it does look like her back garden is their 'run'. Anything from a cat to a crow could have taken them. Foxes, weasels..you name it. Too obvious not to leave defenceless piggies outdoors all day whe you're not in. There's no mention of the 'thieves' breaking through a wire mesh cover over the entire run area, so I guess there isn't one. It still amazes me how few people know that birds like crows will attack a guinea pig. Foxes can scale a six foot fence, so can cats. She even has cats herself, you would think it might have dawned on her. I find it hard to believe her own stupidity isn't the reason why these poor piggies disappeared.

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