A few weeks ago, more than 400 guinea pigs were found living in deplorable conditions in a South Los Angeles home. Pasadena Humane recently welcomed 50 of them into our care, and now these sweet critters are ready for wonderful homes of their own. Stop by this Saturday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for fee-waived adoptions during our annual Clear the Shelters event, in partnership with NBC4 and Telemundo 52 and sponsored by the Leonard and Robert Weintraub Family Foundation.

A few weeks ago, more than 400 guinea pigs were discovered living in deplorable conditions in a South Los Angeles home. The animals were crammed into overcrowded, unsanitary enclosures with little access to food or water. Many were visibly ill, and dozens of the females were pregnant.

In a coordinated effort, LA Animal Services and several local guinea pig rescues stepped in to help. Soon after the initial rescue, our team at Pasadena Humane reached out to offer our support.

True to our mission to lead the way in animal welfare, we welcomed 50 guinea pigs from the case into our care, including many with known medical issues.

As with any large-scale intake, their first stop was our shelter medicine clinic, where our veterinary team gave each guinea pig a full health exam. That’s where we confirmed that 27 of the guinea pigs had active ringworm infections.

Despite its name, ringworm is not a parasite. It is a common fungal skin infection. In guinea pigs, it often shows up as hair loss on their ears, nose, toes, or sides. We most frequently see ringworm in young kittens, but it is not unusual in guinea pigs coming from crowded, high-stress environments like hoarding situations.

The good news is that ringworm is treatable. But it does require time, medication, and space for isolation, which are resources many shelters simply do not have. Sadly, this often results in euthanasia.

At Pasadena Humane, we have been successfully treating ringworm for years using well-established protocols. In 2024, more than 80 animals passed through our “Ringworm Resort,” an isolation area at our shelter.

A few years ago, we piloted an adoption program for pets with ringworm that has since become standard practice. Instead of mandating that animals with ringworm stay at the shelter throughout treatment, we make them available for adoption right away. New pet owners go home with medication, detailed instructions, and rechecks at our shelter clinic.

This approach helps us care for more animals in need while allowing pets to heal in the comfort of a home. It is better for the animals and mirrors how ringworm would typically be treated in a private veterinary practice.

Right now, we are looking for kindhearted adopters to take in guinea pigs with ringworm and help them recover. If you are not able to take on that extra responsibility, we also have many healthy guinea pigs who are ready to go home today.

Guinea pigs may not be the first animal that comes to mind when it comes to pet adoption, but they are found in large numbers at shelters across the region. With proper care, they can live six to eight years.

Their diet includes hay, pellets, and fresh vegetables, especially ones rich in vitamin C. Guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C, so they need to get it from their food.

They also thrive on companionship. Guinea pigs do best in pairs or small groups. In fact, being kept alone can negatively affect their health and well-being.

If you have been thinking about adding a guinea pig or any other pet to your household, now is a great time. Our annual “Clear the Shelters” adoption event is this Saturday, August 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

During the event, adoption fees for all available animals will be waived. A big thank you to our partners at NBC4 and Telemundo 52 for spearheading this campaign, and to our generous event sponsor, The Leonard & Robert Weintraub Family Foundation.

To learn more about adopting a guinea pig or any of our available pets, visit pasadenahumane.org

Chris Ramon is president and CEO of Pasadena Humane. pasadenahumane.org

This blog post originally appeared as a column in the Pasadena Star-News on August 14, 2025.