NYC Council Urged To Ban Guinea Pig Sales: Reports

NEW YORK CITY, NY — Guinea pigs were the talk of New York Wednesday, when the City Council faced dozens of animal lovers who insisted that something must be done about the growing guinea pig population, The City reported.

During the hearing, the New York City Council Committee on Health was given a nudge to act on a bill proposed in February that would ban the sale of guinea pigs, according to the outlet.

Many New Yorkers turned to the small and cute pets for companionship during the loneliest days of the pandemic, only to later put them up for adoption after realizing that they weren't as easy to care for as expected.

In fact, the citywide guinea pig intake rate in animal shelters has been double its pre-pandemic rate ever since May 2021, Courthouse News Service reported.

According to the Animal Care Centers of NYC, there was an 88 percent increase in guinea pig intake at its centers from last year through the first quarter of this year.

“They’re just not starter pets,” Dr. Lyle Cleary, a veterinarian at Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine said at the hearing, according to Courthouse News Service.

Guinea pigs, Dr. Cleary explained, need a constant supply of hay and fresh vegetables, and can develop serious ailments like tumors and ovarian cysts, and cardiac problems.

Other testimonies outlined by the outlet share a common message: think it through before bringing a new pet home.

If the sale of guinea pigs is banned, ownership will still be allowed, as will adoption from a shelter or rescue and fostering.