Pets at Home have stopped selling guinea pigs over deadly infection fears.
The pet store chain discovered that some of the guinea pigs were infected with streptococcus, better known as Strep, in recent days.
Streptococcus is a bacteria that can lead to various infections in guinea pigs, such as pneumonia. In some cases, the animals may not show symptoms despite being infected.
While rare, streptococcus can be transmitted from animals to humans.
Pets at Home operates approximately 443 stores across the UK, though it is unclear how many locations were impacted.
A Pets At Home spokesperson said: ‘We have identified a small percentage of cases of infection in our guinea pig population resulting from streptococcus equi zooepidemicus.
‘Pet welfare is always our top priority and as a precautionary measure we have taken swift and immediate action to temporarily pause the sale or adoption of guinea pigs.
‘We will be contacting customers directly who have purchased a guinea pig from us recently with detailed advice and guidance.
‘However, if you have immediate concerns, please contact your local Pets at Home or veterinary provider for further advice.’
