What started as a love for a few small animals has turned into a rescue operation with hundreds of guinea pigs.
Kimie Smothermon runs The Guinea Pig Sanctuary in Massachusetts, an organization that typically houses and cares for 350 to 400 guinea pigs.
Calls for help are coming from various locations in the United States.
One case involved 11 animals being rescued from Illinois. Another call came from Texas for seven guinea pigs, while a much larger case involved 97 animals in New York.
Smothermon and her team care for animals that are abandoned, sick, or surrendered by owners who are no longer able to keep them.
But her story also highlights a broader problem.
Cavies are often purchased as pets for children with the idea that they are small and easy to keep. In reality, they require constant care, specific food, space, and veterinary care.
When families realize their responsibility or the animals multiply, some of them end up abandoned.
The shelter tries not only to rescue them, but also to find them new families and educate future owners about the care they require.
With hundreds of animals to feed and check on every day, what started as a passion has practically turned into a way of life.
