RSPCA rescues more than 80 guinea pigs and rabbits crammed into Bognor Regis backyard

Now, the RSPCA’s Sussex North and Brighton branch is urgently seeking new homes for the animals, who were removed after their owner became overwhelmed.

RSPCA officers visited the property on August 9, where they found the animals living in makeshift pens and ramshackle hutches, often without enough food or hay.

The charity persuaded the owner to sign over 45 guinea pigs and 38 rabbits into its care in order to ensure they received proper treatment, and with a view to eventually rehoming them. A further 15 guinea pigs, meanwhile, have been placed with a foster carer while the charity continues to work with the owner regarding the animals that are left.

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Most of the rabbits – who are mostly Netherland Dwarf Breeds, with some lops – were found in a healthy condition, but all the guinea pigs had mite infestation and three have had to be euthanised since the rescue, thanks to the severity of their condition.

RSPCA inspector Rebecca Carter said things were “out of control”: ““This shows perfectly the problems you get when owners don’t get on top of the situation, and how quickly things can spiral out of control. The owner had started with two rabbits, but didn’t realise one was male and the other female, and soon there were many more.

“The numbers of guinea pigs had grown for several reasons; the owner’s friends left guinea pigs with her and she had also bred some litters, It is much harder to rehome male guinea pigs, so she had been left with so many which made up most of the guinea pigs found on the property.

“The conditions were wet, dirty and cramped -and weren't helped by the rapid escalation in animals. Things had got totally out of control.“We needed to take these animals to ensure they receive better care in new homes. Rabbits breed very quickly and can do so from 12 weeks. Females are very fertile as was illustrated when we found a female rabbit with two different litters lying on top of each other.

“The owner was really upset that things had escalated and was trying to get the numbers of animals down. We are working with her now to reduce the numbers further.”

It comes as the RSPCA is urging rabbit owners to prevent the growth of unwanted litters by neutering and sexing their pets after the charity experienced a 48 per cent rise in the numbers arriving at its animal centres and branches last year. At the same time, rehoming rates dropped by 23 per cent between 2019 and 2023, meaning many of these centres are at capacity.

Branch manager Jenny Eden said: “Most of the rabbits are quite young, while the guinea pigs, who are mainly boys, range from a few weeks to one who is four years old.

“We will neuter them and find them good homes. We have been inundated with rabbits in recent times and space really is at a premium, but we have sorted out some temporary housing on site to make sure these bunnies and guinea pigs will have a comfortable stay while they are with us.