[Gpdd] RESCUE - A Christmas rescue story part 2

[Penny Charlesworth]

"Shall we ask her about the other one?" they said.

They pointed out another of the "henhouse" structures further down the field. Obviously not hens then. This "ark" was built upon similar lines, but smaller, and without the lift-off roof. It had the same ridiculous narrow ramp but the only access to the structure was via a tiny door set into the side of the wire. How could it ever be cleaned out as the little "house " part could not be reached?

In the gathering dusk I could see a black and white guinea pig sitting on the frozen grass in the corner. The daughter tried to take him out via the tiny door but she couldn't reach as the piggy kept running away from her. So the only option was for them to lift the whole contraption whilst I endeavoured to catch the piggy before he ran off. I made a grab for him and he squealed in pain for he was covered in sores and blood and was terribly thin. It only took one look to see that he was infested with mites. I wrapped him carefully in my coat. "He keeps scratching himself" they said with an air of "it is nothing to do with us". I told them what the problem was and that he needed immediate attention. They asked if I would take him with me. These people had a big house, land, horses, flashy cars but they couldn't spend the money on taking their piggy to the vets.

"We want to be able to visit and make sure that they are being properly looked after,"they said. I gave them my phone number and address and showed remarkable restraint in not giving them a piece of my mind about their piggy care but I wanted to get the piggies home to safety as quickly as possible.

I took him and the box of girls back to the car with the promise that the useless pens would be collected the next day. I always have a spare box in the car when collecting piggies so I put the little boy, still wrapped in my coat, into the box and drove home, still fuming about these uncaring people.

They had told me the little boy was called Sweep and that they originally had another called Sooty, who had been taken home by their cleaner. I always detested Sooty and Sweep, a children's tv programme from my childhood with glove puppets and a dreadful magician so I immediately renamed him. As it was just after Christmas and their house was east of mine, I called him Balthazar, after one of the wise men. The little girls were called Flora and Lily and as I often use flower names for my girls I kept their names.

Balthazar was started on a course of Ivomec as soon as I got home. I put him into my little hospital pen and put the girls, who seemed in good condition, into the home that I had prepared for them. It wasn't long before he had his first fit. I had never seen this happen before but knew that it was a possibility with a mite infestation as bad as his. He was in danger of hurting himself further on the wire of the pen so I padded it all round to protect him. Once the fit was over he ate a good meal and had a nap and later I gave him a bath with an anti-parasitic shampoo. He looked even thinner when he was wet and the bare patches were more noticeable.He had several more fits the next day and every time I thought that he wouldn't recover.

The following day my husband and son went to collect the arks that I didn't want and had to listen to her once again extolling the virtues of the wonderful homes that she had designed and had built. I half expected her to ask for payment for them!  My husband is much more tactful than I am and my son knows not to rage at people's inadequacies when it comes to piggies.

Little Balthazar was beginning to look a bit better and the fits were becoming more infrequent, when I had a call from the mother, who wanted to visit and see "her" pigs. So I arranged to be home to see her the next day........................


to be continued.........................


Penny and the Piggyfriends.