‘Distressing and alarming’: More than 400 guinea pigs found at South Los Angeles home

Animal rescue volunteers found more than 400 guinea pigs at a South Los Angeles home, living in “unsanitary and overcrowded” conditions.

Now they’re asking the public to help foster or adopt some of the rescued animals or to provide donations that will fund medical support and supplies.

Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue said volunteers found hundreds of guinea pigs on Thursday evening in what they described as a “distressing and alarming” scene.

Some of the animals were dead. Others had medical problems including ringworm and open wounds. The guinea pigs, some pregnant or newborns, didn’t have enough water or proper food.

Volunteers visited the property to assess the severity of the situation and obtain an approximate head count of guinea pigs.

(Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue)

The guinea pigs, which eat grass hay, vegetables and pellets, were living off of corn husks. A video posted on YouTube showed guinea pigs scurrying around the residence, some hiding in beer boxes or crowded in a cage without food.

The group contacted the tenant after learning from an email from a Los Angeles Animal Services coordinator that she had hoarded 200 guinea pigs at her home and faced eviction if she didn’t relocate them by Saturday. But it turned out the woman had a lot more guinea pigs than was described.

Valerie Warren, chief executive and co-founder of Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue, said the group was told that another tenant who previously lived in the house owned the guinea pigs but had left.

“They just continued to breed and breed and the rest of the people in the house were just overwhelmed,” said Warren, who visited the residence.

The tenant who’s at risk of losing her housing got an extension from her landlord but it’s unclear for how long, Warren said.

Animal shelters have been running out of space to house animals, especially after the pandemic when people started to give up pets they got when they were locked in their homes. The goal, Warren said, is to separate the male and female guinea pigs at the residence and find them homes. If they’re not split, it’s possible the number of animals could reach 1,000 by November, she said.

“This is a dire situation,” she said. “This is just a cycle that’s not going to end until these guys are all taken in.”

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The group said they’re concerned after being told that a Los Angeles Animal Services lieutenant visited the property and determined the guinea pigs were healthy and had enough shelter, food and water. A representative for Los Angeles Animal Services could not be reached for comment Saturday.

“We urge City officials and the animal welfare community to fully investigate this case and improve systemic response protocols. Shelter officials must be accountable if anything happens to these animals,” the press release said.

The group along with the Rescue Garden, Wee Companions and Vegas Friends of Guinea Pigs Rescue removed 33 guinea pigs. They prioritized animals that were pregnant, newborns, those suffering from health conditions and others that were the most vulnerable. People who want to adopt will have to wait until the animals are healthy and have given birth, Warren said.

The Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue group can be reached at socalguineapigrescue@gmail.com or through its website. Contact information for other animal rescue groups is also listed in the group’s press release.