Guinea pig abandoned at London Underground station with note asking for new owner

A guinea pig was found abandoned outside a tube station in east London with a sign that read: “I need a new owner.”

Staff at Canning Town Station discovered the animal, named DiscoPig, alone in its cage with a piece of paper taped to it.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) describes pet abandonment as “an extremely cruel thing to do”.

The charity said the rodent, aged between six and 12 months, was in a vulnerable position and needed to be kept with other guinea pigs. It urges anyone with information about what happened to contact us.

“Guinea pigs may exhibit unusual behavior and may suffer if they are not accompanied by other guinea pigs,” said RSPCA inspector Shahnaz Ahmed.

“It looked healthy and well looked after,” added Ahmed, who collected the animal and took it to the RSPCA centre. “It’s really sad that someone would abandon their pet in this way.

“We encourage people to seek help with their pet’s care from local animal welfare charities rather than leaving them in such a vulnerable situation.

“Abandoning a pet in this way is an extremely cruel thing to do and is never the answer. If anyone has any information we would ask them to contact the RSPCA’s appeals line confidentially on 0300 123 8018.”

At about 4:20 pm on February 18, station staff discovered the cage in an alleyway without CCTV. The pet will soon be rehomed with its partner from the RSPCA.