New York City Bans The Sale of Guinea Pigs

Following a state-wide ban on the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits at retail pet stores in December last year, New York City has taken one step further in animal welfare by banning the sale of guinea pigs. This ban follows what was a post-pandemic boom in guinea pig surrenders.

 Adrienne Adams, the speaker of the New York City Council, said: -

"Prohibiting the sale of guinea pigs in pet shops will bring relief to animal shelters. Other rescuers have experienced a surge in abandon and surrender guinea pigs in the past three years.”

Post-pandemic, animal shelters were inundated by these guinea pigs, with over 800 surrendered in 2022, more than twice the number in 2019. More than 200 have already been surrendered this year.

At US$50 (approximately HK$400) for one, people were buying these animals as pandemic companions without realising the level of care they need. Things started getting out of hand when animal rescue services were finding guinea pigs scurrying across the city. Meagan Licari, the president of Puppy Kitty New York City, an animal rescue service, recounted to the New York City Council the incident when she saw a guinea pig scurrying through an area of Elmhurst, Queens. Licari said: -

“When we headed over and started to look through the bushes, we kept finding more and more guinea pigs. We had chased them through the thick brush and we were able to rescue eight animals that day.”

This extends the  already existing Pet Shop Laws passed in the city in 2015, which barred pet stores from selling rabbits, by adding guinea pigs to the ban.

Courtesy of Merissa Quek