We are asking the new CEO of PetSmart to immediately end the sale of guinea pigs in their stores. As the largest seller of guinea pigs in the United States, an end to sales at PetSmart would have a profound impact on the numbers of guinea pigs in rescues, shelters, or abandoned "in the wild".
Abandoned or neglected guinea pigs are a MASSIVE problem in communities across the United States. If you've followed our recent emails, you may be aware that CWI recently took in 9 guinea pigs from a large-scale hoarding situation in Los Angeles. Not three weeks later we've learned of another situation in Arizona in which guinea pigs have been allowed to breed out of control.
Guinea pigs are able to reproduce at a young age. Two guinea pigs can become dozens or even hundreds in a relatively short period of time. They also require a surprising amount of care and have equally surprising exotic pet specialist vet bills. Families that thought they were buying an easy to care for small animal for their child quickly become disillusioned. We see many guinea pigs under the age of 1 dumped at shelters or in parks. Yet guinea pigs typically live 5-8 years, and sometimes longer.
Pet stores sell guinea pigs at affordable prices so that they can make money off of the numerous supplies that they require on an ongoing basis. This cycle MUST end in order to avoid massive amounts of animal suffering.Â
