22 guinea pigs, 'great pets,' up for adoption in Burlingame
A Guinea Pig named Oreo sits in the grass at the San Francisco Zoo July 27, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
BURLINGAME, Calif. (BCN) - Twenty-two guinea pigs may be delighted if members of the public decide to adopt them this holiday season, according to the Peninsula Humane Society & Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Burlingame.
The shelter has experienced an influx of guinea pigs over the last month and a half, bringing the total number to twenty-two. Unless one key adoption happens quickly, there will soon be even more, according to Buffy Martin Tarbox, a Humane Society spokeswoman.
"One pregnant guinea pig is ready to give birth any day," Tarbox said.
She said guinea pigs make great pets, subsisting on hay, vegetables and food pellets. They need large cages lined with pine or paper-based bedding.
"Guinea pigs can be exceptionally friendly and often squeal with delight when they see their owners," Tarbox said. The creatures quickly bond with humans and they're lower maintenance than dogs or cats.
Anyone interested in meeting the guinea pigs can visit the Humane Society's Center for Compassion at 1450 Rollins Road, open seven days a week.
The adoption fee is $15 per guinea pig.