Ludlow family devastated after guinea pigs killed

A Shropshire family has been left devastated after thieves stole five of their pet guinea pigs and killed four others by stamping on them.

Intruders broke the doors on two wooden hutches in the front garden of the home of Tracey Taylor, in Milton Road in Ludlow, over the weekend while she and her six-year-old daughter Chardonnay were away in Lincolnshire.

The thieves made off with six guinea pigs, while a mother and three babies who had only been born on Thursday were killed and left in the garden. It is believed they were stamped on.

Miss Taylor said the incident had turned their lives upside down and appealed for help to find those responsible. Police have also appealed for information about the incident, which took place between 6.30pm on Friday and 7pm on Saturday.

Miss Taylor said: "We have been left completely devastated by it all and my daughter is extremely upset. I just can't believe it has happened and that there are people out there that could do a thing like this.

"We went away to Lincolnshire on Friday and noticed on Saturday night that the hutches had been damaged but because it was dark when we arrived back I couldn't see much.

"When I woke up the next morning and went outside to check I found the mother, who had only given birth to four guinea pigs on the Thursday, had been killed and so had three of her babies. It was incredibly upsetting and I think they had been stamped on."

She added: "I just want to find those responsible because it just isn't right."

A West Mercia Police spokesman said: "The family, especially the children, are understandably very upset over what's happened.

"We are hoping someone will come forward with information to help identify the offenders."