Event Follows Surrender of 45 Guinea Pigs from a Single Home
BOSTON and Salem, Mass., May 10, 2023 – The MSPCA-Angell and Northeast Animal Shelter (NEAS) are holding their first-ever four-day fee-waived adoptathon for guinea pigs. The event—beginning May 11 and ending May 14—follows a large surrender of guinea pigs that has put shelter space for small animals at capacity.
“We took in 45 [guinea pigs] from a single home in Suffolk County,” detailed Bryn Rogers, MSPCA-Angell assistant director of adoption centers and programs. “The owners thought they had guinea pigs of one sex, but it turned out they had mixed genders and became overwhelmed when baby guinea pigs came along.”
“Some of the surrendered guinea pigs are also pregnant, so we really need to find homes for the guinea pigs currently in our care to ensure we’ve got space for the new arrivals,” she added.
Cages Filling Up
The MSPCA and NEAS currently have close to 50 guinea pigs available for adoption.
“Guinea pigs tend to remain in shelters much longer than cats and dogs,” elaborated Rogers. “They’re usually in our care for about a month, compared to less than two weeks for cats.”
“Given that, and the sheer number of guinea pigs we need to rehome, we decided to extend the adoptathon for the first time to include a couple extra days in addition to the weekend,” she added. “We hope this will help us get these guys homes, so we’ll still have the ability to take in surrenders as needed.”
This is the MSPCA and NEAS’ first fee-waived event for small animals this year. They held five similar events in 2022.
Adopt a Guinea Pig!
The adoptathon begins on Thursday, May 11 and ends on Sunday, May 14. During this time, guinea pigs will be available to adopt fee-free—a savings of $30. All MSPCA shelters—in Boston, Methuen, and Centerville on Cape Cod—as well as NEAS in Salem are participating.
Registrations are recommended, but not required. Interested adopters may learn more and register at mspca.org/feewaived.
