A box full of guinea pigs and some of their dead babies was found in the toilets of Hemel Hempstead town centre store Debenhams today, Tuesday.
Cleaners turning up for work reported their grim discovery to the RSPCA while store staff put the survivors in a new box and gave them fresh water.
It is thought that the animals may have been dumped there by someone who did not want to look after them any more.
A Debenhams source said: “It was really sad and I thought it was really horrible that someone had done that.
“I hope whoever did it will see the article on hemeltoday and feel guilty.”
The RSPCA took the guinea pigs away earlier today.