A family is upset after buying guinea pigs from a pet store that were carrying a contagious Strep bacteria and showed symptoms.
The pigs had a contagious virus. Pets at Home stopped selling them. They found Strep in the animals. Strep is a bacteria that causes infections, like pneumonia.
The family has twenty guinea pigs already. They got the new ones on Friday, which is when the Strep signs appeared. Carl said one pig had nose discharge.
They bought two pigs from the same place and named them Latte and Cappuccino. The animals soon got runny noses and started sneezing a lot.
Carl says this is an emergency and believes the animals have feelings. The store knew a pig had problems, but they let the family buy them anyway. The pigs are eating less too.
The family worries about their other pigs, as the bacteria could spread to them. They are keeping the new pigs separate and wash hands and change clothes.
Logan, Carl’s son, loves the guinea pigs and would be sad if they died. They also have two older cats at risk. Strep can even infect humans, though it is rare.
The store emptied the guinea pig area. Carl and Tiffany were angry about vet care delays. Carl called the vet on Saturday, and they said it’d be fifty-seven pounds per pig.
Carl wanted Pets at Home to pay. The vet said they’d ask their boss and call them back later. After calls, they got a vet visit, and Pets at Home will pay the bill.
Carl thinks it’s wrong to make a sick animal wait. Pets at Home said they found Strep in a small part of their guinea pig population, and they stopped selling guinea pigs.
The company cares about pet welfare and has contacted Mr. Tyrrell. They offered him support and are calling other guinea pig buyers. Customers with concerns should call.
Pets at Home has many stores. There are 41 in Scotland and about 433 in the rest of the UK.