Eight guinea pigs dumped at landfill Geneva, FL (US) Incident Date: Sunday, May 18, 2003 County: Seminole Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: Willard Hoanshelt

Case ID: 1381 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: rodent/small mammal (pet) View more cases in FL (US) Login to Watch this Case

A man in Seminole County was arrested after allegedly dumping eight guinea pigs at a landfill, according to Local 6 News. Seminole County animal control managers said that Willard Hoanshelt was spotted Sunday by an attendent at the Seminole County Solid Waste Management Facility Osceola Landfill dropping off cages of the guinea pigs.

An attendent at the landfill apparently warned him not to dump the animals.

"One story I have is that she (the attendent) told him not to get rid of the pigs there, not to get rid of the guinea pigs, to keep those," Seminole County Animal Control worker Mike Wittmer said. "And my understanding is that he threw them away. He got to the landfill and dumped them out of the cage."

Soon after, deputies arrived and arrested Hoanshelt, Local 6 News reported. He was charged with cruelty to animals.

Hoanshelt told Local 6 News that it was all a misunderstanding and said that he was just trying to set his daughter's guinea pigs free. He said that as soon as he realized what he was doing was illegal, he tried to put them back in the car.

"You've got to know that you can't dump them at the landfill," Wittmer said.

Local 6 News reported that all of the guinea pigs are up for adoption.

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