Two pet gerbils who were lucky to survive after being dumped in a rusty bucket in a car park in Tredegar are now recovering from their ordeal after being rescued by the RSPCA.

The frightened duo were discovered by a member of the public near a rubbish bin in Queen Victoria Street at about 1pm on 30 August. Luckily she was able to contain them before alerting the animal welfare charity.

Staff at Newport Animal Centre, where they are now being looked after, have named them Ben and Jerry. The friendly gerbils have been given a clean bill of health and will be rehomed in due course.

Inspector Simon Evans, who attended the scene to collect them, said: “Ben and Jerry were not in a bad condition and have obviously been someone’s pets, so it is sad that they were then dumped like this and left to an uncertain fate. Their chances of survival, had they not been found, would have been extremely slim.

“We understand that people’s circumstances may change which means they can no longer care for their pet but dumping animals like rubbish is never the answer. It’s a difficult time at the moment and people’s finances may have been affected by the pandemic, but we urge anyone who is struggling to cope with their pets to please reach out for help from friends, family or charities like ourselves.

Anyone with information about who may have abandoned the gerbils should contact the RSPCA’s appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

If you are interested in adopting a pet from Newport Animal Centre then you can view their website here.