MSPCA-Angell Announces Fee-Waived Adoptathon For Almost 50 Guinea Pigs

BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The MSPCA-Angell and Northeast Animal Shelter will hold a four day fee-waived adoptathon for guinea pigs this week, the animal cruelty prevention non-profit announced Wednesday.

The event will run Thursday, May 11 to Sunday, May 14 and follows a large surrender of guinea pigs from a single home that has put shelter space for small animals at capacity.

"We took in 45 [guinea pigs] from a single home in Suffolk County," said 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."

The MSPCA and NEAS said they have close to 50 guinea pigs available for adoption.

"Guinea pigs tend to remain in shelters much longer than cats and dogs," said 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. We hope this will help us get these guys homes, so we’ll still have the ability to take in surrenders as needed."

This will be the MSPCA and NEAS' first fee-waived event for small animals this year after holding five similar events in 2022. Guinea pigs will be available for adoption fee-free for a $30 savings. All MSPCA shelters in Boston, Methuen, and Centerville on Cape Cod, as well as NEAS in Salem, are participating.

Registration is recommended, but not required. Anyone interested in adopting the furry creatures can go here.