They are one of the UK’s most misunderstood pets and this is largely because they are seen as an ‘easy, first pet’ for children.

Guinea pigs can make fantastic pets but like all animals they have very complex needs and should never be the sole responsibility of a child.

Sadly, one of the issues we see is that some guinea pigs are still kept in small cages with little chance for exercise or human contact, and possibly more importantly no contact with other guinea pigs.