The Guelph Humane Society is looking to turn an awful situation into a happy holiday for prospective guinea pig owners.
Dozens of guinea pigs are ready, or will soon be ready for adoption. This, after 15 were found on the side of the road in Mapleton in two cages in October.
Two guinea pigs were in one cage, and 13 were in another, both male and females mixed together.
"(The) cage was really even small for one guinea pig to be living in," Jane Dawkins with the humane society told GuelphToday.
"It was a pretty sad situation. The cages were in bad condition, they were urine soaked and feces soaked. They didn't appear to be well cared for."
Upon separating them, she said things developed and some of the guinea pigs turned out to be pregnant.
One pup was born about a month ago, and another four were born at a foster home.
Another five were born in the shelter at the end of November.
"We're worried, and we suspect that some others that look a little on the big side, could be pregnant," Dawkins said. "We're working with a veterinarian to make sure, to see what we're looking at, and how many more will be born in shelter."
Approximately 25 are still at the shelter, though one was recently adopted and more are available, or will be available to adopt in the coming months.
"We are recommending that, a guinea pig does like to have a friend," Dawkins said. "I think that with this situation, I think we would also recommend that if people are looking at pairs, to maybe put them in cages side by side for a certain period to make sure that they don't end up with more guinea pigs.
"We don't spay or neuter guinea pigs when they go out. They're just not an animal that gets a spay or neuter."
The shelter is also keeping its adoption event pricing in effect for the month of December.
One guinea pig is $20, while a pair is $30 and a trio is $40.
For more information, you're encouraged to visit the Guelph Humane Society website.
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
