Pack of guinea pigs abandoned at Dolores Park in San Francisco
f you were waiting for the J train at the 20th and Church Streets Muni stop this morning, you might have noticed guinea pigs scampering around in the grass above the tracks. When the train rustled by, the furry rodents darted into bushes but as soon as quiet fell they came out from hiding to nibble on grass.
The lead gardener at Dolores Park, who prefers to go by just Michelle, says about six or seven guinea pigs were left in the park overnight.
“People leave all kinds of pets in Dolores Park,” Michelle says. “Bunnies, chickens and once I caught a man grazing his goats here.”
“It’s Dolores Park,” she added. “We get a lot of weird stuff here.”
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http://blog.sfgate.com/stew/2015/02/25/pack-of-guinea-pigs-abandoned-at-dolores-park/
= new reply since forum marked as read
P.S: You aren't "terrible," kid: Your residence now has at least one less rodent -- and while you didn't help the mouse as intended, you DID help the hawk!
rocktivity
Oh NO!!!!!!! 
I feel terrible, but
More than 50 concerned locals have called Animal Care & Control asking about the guinea pigs.
“Our phones have been ringing off the hook with people asking if the guinea pigs are OK,” Campbell shared. “Someone donated two cages so the guinea pigs have a good start in life. People are asking when they’ll be up for adoption.”
Campbell said the first two guinea pigs will be available for adoption on Tuesday and the second two on Wednesday.
rocktivity
Hope they won't cause more problems if they breed.
P.S. Count your blessings, Michelle:
rocktivity
And if they do, could they cause a balance of nature problem?
Animal Care & Control (are) on their way to Dolores Park to retrieve the guinea pigs. “They’ll be held for five days,” says Animal Care & Control Sergeant Eleanor Sadler. “If they’re healthy and friendly they’ll then be put up for adoption. If they’re not friendly, they’ll be offered to a breed specific rescue.”
They definitely want them out of the area, so I guess there is concern about them (over)breeding.
rocktivity
Animal Control officers spent two days capturing the guinea pigs, catching two on Wednesday and the second two on Thursday. The officers used large nets and fruit as bait to wrangle the small, stubby-tailed animals hiding in the bushes on the west side of the park. Five officers were involved in the operation.
“This really was all hands on deck,” Campbell said.
“We used watermelon to coax them out of the tunnel the guinea pigs fashioned,” Officer Joe Majeski, who helped capture the guinea pigs, added. “One of our new hires was in Animal Control in Long Beach and she had experience catching guinea pigs. When the guinea pigs came to nibble on the fruit, she pounced on them with cupped hands. It was actually really funny.”
Majeski described the guinea pigs as remarkably tame and friendly.
“You can tell these guys have been handled before,” Majeski said, as one of the guinea pigs snuggled on his shoulder. “I’d bet money that these were someone’s pets.”
http://blog.sfgate.com/stew/2015/02/27/san-francisco-animal-control-rescues-guinea-pigs-from-dolores-park/
