When two animal lovers received a call asking them to pick up some unwanted pets, little did they realise what was in store.
STARescue volunteers Mark Copley, 46, and wife Debbie, 48, from Oakridge, were dispatched to save 60 abandoned guinea pigs from a home in Haslemere.
The couple, along with the rescue's network of six community volunteers, are fighting to bring the animals back to full health before looking for new homes in the new year.
“When we first heard about the task we were speechless," said Mark. "At first we thought, 'should we do this?' - but we had to go get them.”
Mark and Debbie chartered two transits, crammed with spare hutches to rescue the dishevelled creatures. They picked up 59 males and one pregnant female, and took them back for rehabilitation and neutering.
“The person who had them before was a do-gooder," said Mark. “She took them in, put them in hutches but just left them. Some of the males had scarring because their nails had not been clipped and they fight, some were in a bad way.
“It gives you a feeling of well being knowing that you have saved these animals from the needle. Everyone cares for cats and dogs and there's not always the help for smaller furries.”
The animals join the couple's collection of 30 rabbits, 15 guinea pigs, 17 rats and a cat.
The new additions chomp through 75kg of dry food and more than 20kg of fresh veg per week, and need up to 150 litres of sawdust and straw to line the cages.
STARescue boss, Shirley King called on the community to donate spare grub for the guinea pigs through the rescue's newly-opened store on The Parade, in Basing View, Basingstoke.
