A Dublin animal charity has issued an urgent warning after three guinea pigs were "abandoned" at a rugby club this week.
The DSPCA were called out to a rugby club in south Dublin after receiving reports that three guinea pigs had been abandoned in the area. They discovered the three guinea pigs in their cage along with their belongings including food, but said that the animals were "very cold and stressed" when help arrived.
Taking to social media, the DSPCA has urged those who cannot look after their animals to contact them instead of just abandoning their pets. They said: "These 3 little ones were found abandoned, in their cage with all their belongings including food at a rugby club in south Dublin. The poor little mites were very cold and very stressed when they arrived at the shelter.
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"Someone owned these little guys and when they couldn't look after them anymore they just abandoned them. We have said it time and time again that is it not ok to abandon any animal and we are here to help as best we can," they added.
The three little guinea pigs have been named Conan, Baird & Clarkson, and they are currently are being cared for by staff and are settling into shelter life. The DSPCA said that getting any pet requires commitment, and that guinea pigs make "wonderful pets" but that they also need attention, love and care.
The DSPCA said: "Guinea Pigs make really wonderful pets but just because they are small doesn't mean you can leave them in a cage, feed them and think that's all there is to it. They need attention, enrichment, love and care so please do your research and make sure you can provide for them for their whole lives.
"We want to thank the kind person who found them and brought them to us," they added. The DSPCA is asking anyone struggling to care for their pets to get in touch via the link here. They added: "And please be patient with us as we work through a waiting list of those who need to surrender their pets to us."
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