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New York City just banned the sale of guinea pigs
Rats aren’t the only controversial rodents in New York City right now. Guinea pigs have also stolen the spotlight.
As a progressive animal rights measure, the New York City Council just banned the sale of guinea pigs in New York City. The bill is now awaiting the mayor’s signature—he has 30 days to approve or veto the bill.
The ban was put in place after hundreds of families purchased guinea pigs as companion pets during the pandemic quarantine in 2020 and 2021. However, once the world started to open up, hundreds of these animals were then surrendered to nearby shelters. In fact, over 600 of these pandemic piggies were given to shelters in 2022. Already, over 200 guinea pigs have been surrendered in 2023. Guinea pig care is expensive for shelters to keep up with.
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With a lifespan of about a decade, a guinea pig is a longer-term commitment for pet parents, than, say, a goldfish. It’s also illegal for anyone in New York to abandon a pet (not that a guinea pig could tough it out in Central Park), so anyone with a pet they can no longer take care of must rehome it or go through a shelter or rescue system.
“Prohibiting the sale of guinea pigs in pet shops will bring relief to animal shelters. Other rescuers have experienced a surge in abandoned and surrendered guinea pigs in the past three years,” Adrienne Adams, the speaker of the New York City Council, told NY1.
With the ban, New Yorkers eager to parent a Guinea pig can still do so, the pets just have to be adopted rather than purchased from a pet store. Those who want to rescue a guinea pig can do so through Animal Care Centers of NYC, which has a filter on its app to swipe through guinea pigs and find your match.
Adoption may be the best method for aspiring pet parents of all species. In December, New York State banned the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits with Governor Kathy Hochul signing the bipartisan Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill. Come 2024, pet stores won’t be able to sell most mammals, with the goal of directing those in search of a furry friend to shelters and rescue organizations.
NYC will light up the once-abandoned relics of the 1964 World’s Fair every night
Like Manhattan’s Empire State Building and the BQE’s Kosciuszko Bridge, this Queens landmark will light up every night. Like a beacon, it’ll welcome travelers into the city and be a source of pride for locals.
NYS Flushing Meadows Corona Park Pavilion’s Tent of Tomorrow and Towers, some of the most recognizable structures in Queens and in all of NYC, have finished being renovated and will now be shown off with lights, according to NYC Parks.
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To celebrate, the parks department lit them “parks green” on Saturday night.
Going forward, the Towers and Tent will be lit every night, seven days a week, and follow a specific schedule for holidays and special events, the agency says.
“For nearly 60 years the NYS Pavilion’s Tower and Tent of Tomorrow has stood tall above Queens’ beloved jewel, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, representing hope during challenging and changing times,” said Anthony Sama, the NYC Parks FMCP Administrator and the Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park Executive Director. “Now, decades later, it illuminates our skyline once again, shining brightly on our vibrant and thriving park, welcoming its more than 10 million annual visitors. We congratulate NYC Parks on this great achievement.”
The renovation project, which cost $24 million, stabilized the towers by replacing their suspension cables and stairs and repairing their concrete towers; introduced new electrical (including equipment for an NYPD Mobile Command Center for vehicles); restored the original blue globe lighting at the Towers; and installed new architectural lighting.
This was just Phase 1. Phase 2 is currently being planned but would Phase II of the project is currently in the planning stages, but would bring increased stability to the structures and allow for limited guided tours of the towers in the future, NYC Parks says.If you didn’t know, the New York State Pavilion was created for the 1964-5 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows Corona Park by Philip Johnson. There are three towers—the two shorter ones held cafeterias for the fair, and the tallest had an observation deck—and the adjacent “Theaterama.” In that building, visitors to the fair got to see Pop Art by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.
The Theaterama building was converted into the Queens Playhouse in 1972, which was there until 1985.
It’s about time these historic structures got their time to shine again.
“Along with brightening our skies, the lighting of the Pavilion will brighten the hearts of Queens residents both young and old, especially those who have fond memories of attending the 1964 World’s Fair,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “Thanks to this important restoration work, new generations of residents and visitors will be able to make memories when they visit this iconic and brilliantly illuminated structure.”
