Shelters In San Diego, Statewide See Uptick In Guinea Pig Intake

SAN DIEGO, CA — Guinea pigs are up for adoption at the San Diego Humane Society as animal welfare organizations statewide experience an uptick in their guinea pig populations.

The increase is largely a result of "owner surrenders" — instances where pets are given to shelters, typically because their owners have lost housing or are unable to provide care, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) said in a statement.

And in many cases, those guinea pigs are relinquished with a litter after they were housed with the opposite sex, officials said — which has also led to the increase.

spcaLA, the Marin Humane Society and other organizations have noticed that spikes in owner surrenders tend to coincide with people heading back to work and school.

"The first wave of the pandemic brought many small pet or 'pocket pet' adopters," Madeline Bernstein, spcaLA president, said in a statement. "Now we are experiencing another wave, but this time the tide is not in the animals' favor. Small animals are coming in, but we aren't seeing as many adopters for them."

To encourage guinea pig adoptions, some shelters are offering a foster-to-adopt option and are reducing or eliminating adoption fees, officials said.

And the San Diego Humane Society has dozens of guinea pigs available for adoption, according to its website, with fees starting at only $5.

"Guinea pigs are so social and fun — they greet our staff with a cacophony of happy coos when it’s time for their morning greens," Bernstein said. "They do really well in pairs, and many people find they're a good first pet for kids, with supervision of course."