Glut Of Guinea Pigs Spurs Pet Adoption Fee-Free Weekend At Salem Animal Shelter

SALEM, MA — A massive influx of guinea pig rescues from a home in Suffolk County will trigger an adoption fee-free for the little fellas at the Northeast Animal Shelter of Salem and MSPCA-Angell shelters across the state this weekend.

The Salem shelter, which held five fee-free adoption events last year, will hold its first of 2023 with the $30 fee for guinea pigs waived from May 11 through May 14 after the shelter reached its small animal 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."

Rogers said the shelters combined have close to 50 guinea pigs available for adoption. While they can be harder to adopt than dogs or cats, they may be a good choice for someone with a small living space or a lifestyle that does not cater to caring for a larger pet.

"We hope this will help us get these guys homes, so we'll still have the ability to take in surrenders as needed," Rogers said.

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 for this event.

Interested adopters can learn more about the guinea pigs here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)