With the opening of the movie "G-Force" this weekend, demand for guinea pigs as pets is expected to increase dramatically, with nearly every kid in the country wanting one. "G-Force" is a 3-D animated tale about a group of highly trained guinea pig super heroes who, using special weapons, martial arts, high technology and their wits, defeat the bad guys and save the world.

Anyone who has ever had one of these pudgy little rodents will tell you that they do make good pets, but it is hard to imagine them as super heroes. That is, unless you work for Disney. In their hands anything is possible.

The problem is that with each of these movies, the featured animal becomes the next fad pet, and everyone susceptible to fads wants one. Then the fad passes and there are soon a lot of animals that are no longer wanted.

Encourage anyone you know who may be getting pressure toget a guinea pig for a pet to think twice, and then a third time. These little guys can live 5-6 years and need care and attention. Who is going to provide it after the first three weeks?

Don’t let this be the next problem dumped in the laps of our animal shelters. They already have enough to do.