A chinchilla had a ‘lucky escape’ after being rescued from a bin in Warwick.
He was discovered by a member of the public who heard scratches coming from the bin next to a bus stop in Emscote Road.
The chinchilla was in a good condition, however he did not have access to any food or water.
RSPCA officers who were called to rescue the animal say if he had not been found he would have been disposed of in the next bin round.
They have now left him in the care of a local vet nurse.
Animal Welfare Officer Ben Jones said: “The person who found the chinchilla was alerted to him after hearing scratches inside the bin. The poor animal had been left in there with some hay but nothing to eat or drink – we don’t know how long he had been like this for.
“He was stressed out, which is understandable.
“It is concerning that someone abandoned this poor animal like this, and likely with the intention of them not being found. As the chinchilla was in a bin, we can only assume that whoever put him in there did so with the intention that he would be disposed of during the next bin round.
“The chinchilla has had a lucky escape. We are keen to speak to anyone who has any information about the chinchilla and how he ended up there.”
Mr Jones says chinchillas make wonderful pets but need specialist care. They can live for up to 20 years and are highly social so need company.
He added: “Unfortunately, we find that a lot of people take on the responsibility of a pet without properly researching what that animal needs and without understanding the commitment involved with taking care of them.
“Sadly that means that many pets are abandoned when their owners can no longer look after them and charities, like the RSPCA, are left to pick up the pieces.”
Anyone with information about the abandoned animal should call 0300 123 8018 and speak to the charity.
