WORCESTER, MA — Ten baby guinea pigs rescued from a pond at Leominster State Forest will soon be headed for permanent homes. The Worcester Animal Rescue League is planning to put the babies up for adoption as soon as they're a little older.

The saga began on Sept. 14, when Sterling Animal Control Officer Kelly Jones got a call about a group of small guinea pigs struggling in the water at Paradise Pond in Princeton. Two fishermen had spotted the small rodents in the water.

By the time Jones got to the scene — with kayaks in tow, ready for a water rescue — someone had scooped up the 10 babies and put them in a box. They were all taken to the Tufts Small Animal Hospital in Grafton for a checkup. One of the guinea pigs had animal bites, but has made a full recovery.

Sterling Animal Control reported last week that all 10 guinea pigs are either at the Worcester Animal Rescue League shelter or in foster care, but need to get a little older before they can be adopted. The female pigs have to be held for up to two months to make sure they aren't pregnant.

Jones told the Sterling Landmark newspaper that the guinea pigs were likely abandoned at Leominster State Forest after the owners were unable to care for them. Guinea pigs breed rapidly, with females able to have up to five litters per year. Males and females can reproduce as little as four weeks after being born, and guinea pigs can live up to eight years in captivity.

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