LEOMINSTER, Mass. (WPRI) — Police are investigating after 10 guinea pigs were rescued from a Massachusetts pond earlier this month, according to Sterling Animal Control.
Two animal control officers from Sterling and Holden responded to Paradise Pond in Leominster State Park after receiving a report that several guinea pigs were in the water.
When the officers arrived, firefighters who were already on scene notified them that the guinea pigs were spotted running along the shore.
The firefighters were able to round up the 10 guinea pigs and place them in a box prior to their arrival, according to authorities. It’s unclear at this time how long the guinea pigs were in the water for.
One of the guinea pigs appeared to have been bitten “by a larger animal” and was transported to Tufts Small Animal Hospital for treatment, while the others were brought to the Sterling Police Department.
The injured guinea pig was reunited with the rest of the herd after veterinarians determined “his wounds were not new and already healing,” though he was prescribed antibiotics.
The guinea pigs were brought to the Worcester Animal Rescue League (WARL) last weekend. WARL said most of the guinea pigs are too young to be adopted, and the females must remain on “pregnancy watch” for at least two months.
Anyone who has any information regarding how the guinea pigs ended up at Paradise Pond is asked to contact the Sterling Police Department by calling (978) 422-7331 or emailing animalcontrol@sterling-ma.gov.
Those interested in eventually adopting one or more of the guinea pigs can email maeve@worcesterarl.org for more information.
