In two freak incidents, more than 300 guinea pigs, rats, mice and gerbils were recovered in the Towns of Danby and Dryden around 2 p.m. on Sunday. The SPCA of Tompkins County said they tried their best to recover all of the animals.
The rodents were originally found by members of the public in Danby, about ten miles away from Cornell’s campus. They notified animal control officers, who quickly responded.
“We currently have about 225 animals, a mix of mostly rats about 160 of them, and then also mice, gerbils, and Guinea pigs, as part of close to 300 that were abandoned. Due to the weather many did not survive,” Jim Bouderau, executive director of the SPCA of Tompkins County, told The Sun.
Some of the animals were injured and had to be euthanized. Several of the animals had also fled into the surrounding wooded area before the officers arrived. While an investigation into the hairy situation is still underway, according to a Facebook post by the SPCA, an officer returned Monday morning to look for stragglers.
“We are working to medically clear these animals before sending them to other rescues or putting them up for adoption,” the post said. “We’ll let everyone know when they’re available!”
According to the post, anyone interested in adopting one of the rodents can fill out a small animal adoption application and email it to [email protected].
In the meantime, the SPCA asked that well-wishers help out by donating food and bedding, like Timothy hay and shredded newspapers. The Amazon wishlist can be accessed here and direct funds can also be donated here.
The Tompkins County SPCA requests anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact the SPCA’s Humane officers at 607-592-6773 or by email at [email protected].