2014 Review

2014 saw lots of guinea pigs rescued from the Melton auctions, and taken to Avalon to start a new life. Whilst many are still at Avalon waiting for their ‘forever home’, they are no longer suffering by being over-bred or being treated as sales items rather than pets.

I want to share with you some of the stories of the guinea pigs, which highlight the cruelty which they are subjected to at these auctions, and in their lives before coming to auction.

1-2 year old sow - She'd been in a dealer's crate for days on end with little food or water, and covered in urine. She had massively overgrown nails so couldn't walk properly. Her fur is white, but when she arrived at Avalon she was filthy brown. She was underweight and her bones could be felt sticking out. Her fur was patchy with sore skin underneath, further irritated by being covered in urine. Before being sold at auction, she would've produced several litters of puppies despite still being only 1 or 2 years old.

Young sow - sadly what is called a 'lethal' guinea pig, which means she is likely both blind and deaf, due to a genetics problem with the way that she was bred.

Young boar - arrived at Avalon with bumble foot, a painful and nasty looking condition on his feet, making walking almost impossible. He was minimum bid, without reserve. He was very scruffy, hiding away his beautiful coat. 

Sow - was at the auction with a reserve price due to her having a poorly eye. Looked very depressed to be there, desperately needing a loving new home. 

Long haired boar – came from auction with a massive and uncomfortable fur ball at his rear

2 pigs in pens at the auction, looking depressed

4 month old sow - was rescued from the auctions, tragically delivered 2 dead babies, then died herself

Poor little piggie at the auction was terrified, cold and wet, with skin burning from the urine burns and had a leg swollen to about 6 times more then it should, dripping with puss. This turned out to be septic arthritis, which is extremely painful for the guinea. His life was saved by Avalon and he now has a loving home.

Little boar - with poison leaking out of his eye, all down his front. Avalon gave him a bath, but he has lots of holes around his eyes and constantly has a wet chin/chest. He’s around 3-4 weeks old and he stunk of infection before his bath.

2 mums and their 1/2 day old babies were up for auction. Guinea pigs this young should not be in a market situation, they need to be left alone to bond with their mother and receive all the food, warmth, water and cleaning up after that they need.

3-4 month old heavily pregnant sow - when she arrived at Avalon, she was put in a hutch with other mums and babies, to give her the best chance of coping with her situation.

2 pregnant sows - a fierce bidding war took place to ensure that these guinea pigs could be rescued by Avalon. Being at auction is completely out the comfort zone for a guinea pig, and it was obvious that these 2 were distressed. One of the pigs threw herself into the water bowl as soon as soon as the pen was opened, which was worrying behaviour. 

Avalon will continue to have a presence at the Melton Auctions during 2015, so that we can continue to minimize the mistreatment that these lovable animals are being subjected to.