Guinea pigs are highly social animals that suffer from loneliness when kept alone, yet single-guinea pig keeping remains common due to insufficient awareness of their social requirements.
The social needs of guinea pigs are perhaps the clearest example of a species whose welfare requirements are systematically misunderstood by many pet owners and pet retailers. Sold individually in many pet shops, guinea pigs are routinely kept alone despite being animals that, in their natural environment, live in stable social groups and engage in constant social behavior. A solitary guinea pig is not simply missing a companion but experiencing chronic social deprivation that constitutes a form of ongoing suffering. The Swiss legislative response — requiring social housing — reflects a national determination that this welfare harm must be prevented rather than merely discouraged.