'What a way to start a w(h)eek:' WHS takes in 20 guinea pigs surrendered by 'overwhelmed' owner

MILWAUKEE -- Officials with the Wisconsin Humane Society on Monday, Dec. 16 took in 20 guinea pigs surrendered by their "overwhelmed" owner.

WHS officials posted about the new arrivals on social media and said with all of these new piggies, they have a total of 35 guinea pigs available for adoption across their campuses.

The owner surrendered the animals after they began reproducing at an alarming rate. WHS officials noted guinea pigs can start to mate as young as one to three months old, and a female can give birth to up to five litters per year.

That's why it's critical that you know the gender of your guinea pigs before housing them together.

After they arrived at the shelter, each guinea pig was examined by veterinarians and set up with food, water, bedding, and room to relax.

WHS officials said a few were found to have medical conditions that will require treatment, and they suspect many of the females are pregnant, so those pigs will head to foster care before they're ready for adoption.

If you're interested in adopting a guinea pig from WHS, CLICK HERE to view the available animals.

CLICK HERE to make a donation to WHS to support the care of these guinea pigs and the other shelter animals waiting for their furever homes.