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FANS of a world
famous guinea pig expert have raced to his defense after Council
plumbers claimed his 80 pets are too smelly...
Peter Gurney was
featured in the SLP a fortnight ago after Lambeth council
plumbers refused to repair his hot water cylinder for nine
weeks, claiming the stench of his colony was too much to bear.
And the Clapham
animal-lover, author of five books including guinea pig bibles
'Piggy Potions' and 'The Sex Life of a Guinea Pig', is STILL
without hot water. Since our article letters of support have
flooded in from furious fans - some from as far afield as
Northern Ireland and Cornwall. One furious reader, Ms. Heather
Wallace from Wandsworth, said: "Peter Gurney's animals live
in guinea pig heaven," adding, "Each is known by name and
personality and loved as an individual." Nevertheless, nine
weeks without hot water have now become eleven, and Mr Gurney
- who has taken in stray guinea pigs for the RSPCA - is still
bathing in a bucket. He said: "After three months I've got
used to it. Even if they apologised now I'm not sure I'd accept
it. They seem to expect people to roll over, but they have
picked on the wrong person this time." Mr. Gurney has contacted
his solicitor after Lambeth council said last month it was
considering reporting him to the RSPCA, and has contacted
the local Government ombudsman about Lambeth's refusal to
carry out the repairs. Lambeth says it will now wait for their
own inspection service to examine the flat before a decision
is made, but Mr Gurney has already invited the RSPCA to visit
his home. A RSPCA spokeswoman confirmed it had used Mr Gurney
before, though not recently.
A Lambeth council
spokeswoman said: "Mr Gurney has asked us to send Lambeth's
own inspection service to look at the flat. We are still looking
for a contractor, outside our normal contractor range, who
is willing to undertake the work but have so far been unsuccessful."
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